In the run-up to the anticipated INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi, posters featuring Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have surfaced in Patna, portraying him as a pivotal leader within the alliance.
The posters bear the message: ‘Agar sach mein jeet chahiye toh fir ek Nischay aur ek Nitish chahiye’ (If you really want to win, you need determination and you need Nitish). As the meeting is crucial for determining seat sharing and the alliance’s face for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, these posters have reignited speculations about Nitish Kumar’s role, despite his repeated statements expressing a lack of personal ambition.
The immediate agenda for the alliance involves consensus-building on the appointment of a convener, a spokesperson, and a common secretariat. This task proves intricate due to differences among the INDIA bloc constituents.
Responding to queries about Nitish Kumar’s role, his deputy and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav played down the issue, emphasizing that everyone within the alliance shares the same objectives of countering divisive forces.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Monday, remarked that the INDIA bloc’s prime ministerial candidate would be decided post the 2024 general elections. She expressed confidence in the alliance’s ability to address issues, including seat-sharing, and defeat the BJP. Dismissing claims that the alliance has delayed organizational matters, she stated, “it is better late than never.”
The Trinamool Congress leader refrained from commenting on the role of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the upcoming general elections, stating she cannot speak on behalf of alliance partners.
