Nitish Kumar is not a PM candidate for 2024 elections, says JD(U) leader

CM Nitish Kumar is spearheading the Opposition gathering, scheduled for June 23, to discuss methods to better challenge the BJP in the upcoming elections

The Janata Dal (United) (JDU) party's national president, Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh has made it clear that Bihar Chief Minister (CM) Nitish Kumar is not a candidate for the position of Prime Minister. Singh stated this while addressing the public in Patna, Bihar.

During his address, Singh urged party workers not to chant slogans endorsing Nitish Kumar as the prime ministerial candidate, as it could undermine the prospects of a united Opposition. He mentioned that after the election, when the country becomes free from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), all parties would convene to discuss the leadership of the nation.

He revealed that 18 political parties would be participating in a meeting to discuss strategies to challenge the BJP in the upcoming elections.

The gathering is scheduled for June 23. Opposition leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, and Rahul Gandhi.

Singh also mentioned the support of Jammu and Kashmir's National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah and Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party Chief Mehbooba Mufti for the Opposition meeting. Both will be attending the meeting on June 23.

The meeting is seen as Nitish Kumar's attempt to strengthen Opposition unity. Kumar, who is the longest serving CM in Bihar, has traveled to various states, including Delhi, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Karnataka, to establish alliances with like-minded parties against the ruling BJP at the central level.

The aim of the Opposition meeting is to ensure the selection of a common candidate to contest against the BJP in approximately 450 identified Lok Sabha seats, as proposed by Kumar, with the aim of defeating the party that has ruled since 2014.

Kumar initially met with Congress leaders on April 12, and Rahul Gandhi described the meeting as a "historic step" toward opposition unity. He also held discussions with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, and others. In May, Kumar reached out to Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) head Sharad Pawar, and Shiv Sena (United Bhartiya) chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Nitish's efforts to engage with Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Naveen Patnaik resulted in securing 1.5 acres of free land in Puri for Bihari pilgrims. However, Naveen Patnaik has yet to commit to joining the non-BJP Opposition front for the 2024 elections.