PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has officially quashed ongoing speculations concerning his potential return to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the coalition he departed from in August last year to lead the Grand Alliance government in the state. He has firmly asserted that his primary focus remains on the nation’s development.
In response to questions from reporters regarding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s assertion that Nitish Kumar might change his political allegiance, he categorically rejected such speculations. He made it clear that he pays no heed to such talks and that his sole concern is the welfare of the public, thus putting an end to the ongoing conjecture.
The rumors of Nitish Kumar’s possible return to the NDA gained traction following his participation in a G20 Summit dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu in Delhi on September 9. During this event, he was captured on camera having a jovial interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The camaraderie between them reached its zenith when Modi introduced his former ally to U.S. President Joe Biden, with Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and President Murmu in attendance. After this meeting, JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan, also known as Lalan Singh, advocated for Nitish as the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate, stating that he was now “ready to lead the country.” Another party member and state spokesperson, Ranbir Nandan, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that both Modi and Nitish should join forces for the betterment of the country, citing their clean images and aversion to dynastic politics.
In addition to addressing political matters, Nitish Kumar also weighed in on the need for an immediate census. He noted that while the decennial census has been a tradition in India since 1931, the one in 2021 was the first to experience delays. When asked about Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement that the census would commence after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Nitish Kumar urged the government to begin the enumeration process without waiting for the 2024 polls.
Highlighting his government’s commitment to women’s representation, Nitish Kumar called for provisions to ensure adequate representation for women from Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs). He emphasized the importance of quick implementation to benefit women from these communities.
