Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister after suppressing the ambitions of several leaders in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said on Wednesday after the saffron party criticised the Opposition-led INDIA bloc over the question of a PM candidate. “Even today, there are several leaders (in the party) who have ambition and it should be there,” he said.
As the first coordination committee meeting of the Opposition's INDIA bloc is set to be held with a larger agenda to discuss seat sharing formula in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, talks over the alliance's potential prime ministerial candidate resurfaced. Several Opposition parties have propped up their favourite leaders' names as potential PM face.
Also read: Meeting of INDIA bloc’s key panel today, focus on seat-sharing formula
Despite showing reluctance, JD(U) pitched for Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. Party president Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Tuesday declared to a large gathering that ‘your leaders (Nitish Kumar) is now ready to lead the country’. Similarly, Congress and Trinamool clamoured for their leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee as potential contender for the PM position.
"All political parties, leaders and their workers do have ambitions...PM Modi became the Prime Minister after suppressing the ambitions of several leaders in BJP. Even today, several have that ambition...Ambition should be there. If that ambition has been killed, it means there is a dictatorship...Ambition is good," the Delhi minister said.
{{/usCountry}}"All political parties, leaders and their workers do have ambitions...PM Modi became the Prime Minister after suppressing the ambitions of several leaders in BJP. Even today, several have that ambition...Ambition should be there. If that ambition has been killed, it means there is a dictatorship...Ambition is good," the Delhi minister said.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party also pitched for Arvind Kejriwal as potential PM candidates. "If you ask me, I would want Arvind Kejriwal to be the Prime Ministerial candidate (of the Opposition alliance)," party spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said earlier.
Later, Delhi minister and AAP leader Atishi clarified that the Delhi CM is not in the race of becoming the next PM, and called Kakkar's remark her ‘personal opinion’.