JD(U) Pitches Nitish Kumar As I.N.D.I.A Bloc Convener, Shiv Sena Backs Uddhav Thackeray
JD(U) MP Ram Nath Thakur said that Nitish Kumar should be made the convener of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc while Sanjay Raut pitched Uddhav Thackeray as a suitable candidate.
Opposition’s I.N.D.I.A bloc still has a big pending task ahead of it, which is to select the alliance’s chief who would contest against Narendra Modi for the post of the prime minister in the country. While the bloc has met three times at various cities in the country, it is yet to pick up its leader.
The allies are pitching their leader to be the face of the bloc with Janata Dal (United) voicing Nitish Kumar’s name and Shiv Sena (UBT) backing Uddhav Thackeray.
#WATCH | On PM face of INDIA bloc, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says," There will be a discussion on this. There should indeed be a face...Uddhav Thackeray is a Hindutvawadi, nationalist face. A person who gets the approval of the INDIA alliance members can be the (PM) face. I… pic.twitter.com/NXVwOHUC4V
— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2023
JD(U) leader Ram Nath Thakur on Wednesday said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should be made the convenor of the INDIA bloc. Kumar has built his image as such that makes him the best fit for being the convenor of the opposition grouping, said the JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP, reported PTI.
"The image that Nitish Kumar has made for himself in Bihar, if he becomes the leader of INDIA, it will be good," Thakur told the news agency.
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Reacting to Thakur’s remark, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Sanjay Raut said no such demand had been made during the coalition meeting. "If such a demand is made in the meeting of the INDIA bloc we will discuss it. Nitish Kumar ji is a big leader, INDIA bloc has his guidance," he said.
On being asked about Uddhav Thackeray, the Shiv Sena MP said, “Uddhav ji is a face which is acceptable to the country. I will not say for this post or that post, but he is staunch Hinduwadi and yet he is liberal. He takes everyone together."