Ahead Of Opposition's June 23 Mega Meet, JD(U) Says Nitish Kumar Not Vying For PM's Seat

Lalan Singh's statement comes just days ahead of the much-anticipated Opposition meeting in Patna that aims to create the framework for a coalition of Opposition parties before 2024 polls.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Amid Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s efforts to forge a united Opposition to take on the BJP-led government at the Centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, JD(U) national president Lalan Singh on Sunday claimed Kumar is not the PM contender and he is only trying to build a “BJP-free nation”.

“Nitish Kumar is not the contender for the position of Prime Minster. Nitish Kumar is trying to build a BJP-free nation and is busy in uniting opposition. After elections, all (opposition) parties together will decide who the PM will be," news agency PTI quoted Lalan Singh as saying.

VIDEO | "Nitish Kumar is not the contender for the position of Prime Minster. Nitish Kumar is trying to build a BJP-free nation and is busy in uniting opposition. After elections, all (opposition) parties together will decide who the PM will be," said JD(U) national president… pic.twitter.com/1HEcLrwZZ5

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 11, 2023

His statement comes just days ahead of the much-anticipated Opposition meeting in Patna on June 23. The meeting, that was earlier scheduled to be held on June 12, aims to create the framework for a coalition of like-minded Opposition parties to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP administration at the Centre.

However, the meeting was postponed when key Opposition leaders, including Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, stated they were unable to attend on June 12, citing previous commitments and preoccupations.

Notably, the JD(U) chief’s remark comes on a day when thousands gathered at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan to voice their discontent against a recent ordinance issued by the Centre that granted control over the bureaucracy in the national capital to the Lieutenant Governor.

Hitting out at the Centre, Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal said Delhi is the first to be "attacked" and similar ordinances will be brought for other states too.

"When Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he does not accept the Supreme Court's decision, it is 'Hitler shahi' (dictatorship). This black ordinance of Modiji says 'I don't accept democracy'. Now there will be a tyrannical rule in Delhi. Now the people of Delhi are not supreme, but the LG is'," he said.