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Nitish Kumar says this as Nawab Malik proposes Opposition candidate for President
NCP leader Nawab Malik said a process has been initiated to form an anti-BJP front before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Maharashtra minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik on Tuesday said Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's name could be considered as the opposition's candidate for the President's post if he breaks ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He added, however, any decision in this regard will be taken jointly by leaders of various opposition parties.
Kumar's Janata Dal (United) currently shares power with the BJP in Bihar. When asked about the same, the Bihar CM rubbished the speculations. Speaking to reporters in Bhagalpur, he said, "I have no idea like that in my mind."
Earlier in the day, Malik said a process has been initiated for an anti-BJP front before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and this was the agenda behind Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s recent visit to Mumbai.
Malik said such a front will be forged under the collective leadership of various Opposition parties, while adding that the absence of the Congress, will, however, make it a futile effort.
Rao is the second chief minister from a non-BJP-ruled state after Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee to visit Maharashtra in recent days with an objective to strengthen a front against the saffron camp.
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When Banerjee had visited Maharashtra, she had, however, spoken about a broad alliance without the Congress at the forefront. Maharashtra is currently headed by an alliance of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.
Malik also shared his thoughts on the ongoing Assembly elections in the five states of Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. He said the BJP will suffer a defeat in all of them. In Uttar Pradesh, where the saffron party is in power, it will bag less than 150 of the total 403 seats.
Accusing the BJP of triggering communal violence in Uttar Pradesh in 1993 when it was in power in the state, the NCP leader cited it as the reason behind people dislodging it. He added that the history will “repeat itself after 30 years” when the results of the Assembly polls are out next month.
"People brought the BJP (to power) after 25 years in Uttar Pradesh (in 2017). The people are fed up with its politics during the past five years. The BJP will win less than 150 seats in Uttar Pradesh,” the Maharashtra minister was quoted as saying by PTI.
Meanwhile, the political fraternity has been abuzz after Kumar met political strategist Prashant Kishor in New Delhi on Friday night. The duo held discussions for nearly two hours at the chief minister's official residence in the national capital.
However, both termed it a courtesy meeting. Kishor was sacked from the JD(U) in 2020 for his anti-party stance.
On Sunday, Rao met his Maharashtra counterpart and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP president Sharad Pawar. Referring to Thackeray as his “brother”, KCR said their meeting focussed on “elaborate discussion” on improving and speeding up development issues and bringing about “structural and policy changes” in India.
Earlier, DMK president and Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin had extended his support to Rao for a non-BJP third front. The Telangana CM is likely to meet Banerjee soon.
