Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Sunday took a swipe at the BJP on Sunday, saying the party considers those with it “sadachari” (people with good conduct) and those who speak against its policies “bhrashtachari” (corrupt), JD(U) sources said.
Kumar, speaking at the Janata Dal (United) national council meeting here, wondered if poaching leaders from other parties is not corruption, an apparent reference to opposition leaders crossing over to the BJP in many states, the sources said.
Kumar asserted he will work to unite opposition parties across the country to take on the BJP amid the buzz that the JD(U) is eying the opposition leadership role for him in the run up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
He told reporters after the meeting that a united Opposition can oust the BJP from power at the Centre.
During his visit to Delhi, likely between September 5-8, Kumar will also meet President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Asked about the Congress’ ‘Mehangai Par Halla Bol’ rally in Delhi on Sunday, Kumar said, “It is good.”
JD(U) chief spokesperson K C Tyagi told reporters that Kumar will also meet leaders from around six regional parties besides those from the Congress in Delhi.
Tyagi asserted his party is not projecting Kumar as the prime ministerial face of the Opposition while describing him as the “rising sun”.
“The sun rises in the east,” he said, underlining Bihar’s geographical location of being in the country’s east.
The veteran socialist leader claimed that Kumar’s decision to snap ties with the BJP last month has enthused the opposition camp in the same way V P Singh’s entry into its fold had done in late 80s.
Tyagi noted some leaders like Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao want a non-BJP and non-Congress front, but added the JD(U) does not agree with this.
The Congress being in the fold is necessary for a viable alliance against the BJP, he said. The Congress is part of the ruling grand alliance in Bihar.
Speaking to reporters, JD(U) president Lalan Singh alleged BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah’s proposed visit to Bihar later this month is aimed at disturbing communal harmony in the state.
“It will not make any impact,” he said, claiming the grand alliance will win all 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2024.
Speaking about the details of the party meeting, Tyagi said the decision to snap ties with BJP-led NDA was appreciated by its members as the saffron party was trying to weaken the JD (U) as a “conspiracy”.
“The BJP was trying to repeat the Eknath Shinde plan to sabotage the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar. However, CM Kumar recognised it in time and foiled the conspiracy,” he said.
In the 2020 assembly polls, the JD (U)’s tally came down to 43 as it was targeted with the “Chirag model”, he said, referring to then LJP president Chirag Paswan’s decision to field candidates mostly on the seats where the JD(U) was contesting.
On five JD(U) MLAs in Manipur joining the BJP, Tyagi alleged it was done through inducements as they were set to arrive in Patna to attend the meeting.
“Earlier, the BJP did it in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. The BJP is doing it everywhere, therefore all opposition parties must unite against it,” he said.
The JD(U) passed two resolutions related to political situation in the country in its two-day meeting which ended on Sunday.
The party has charged the BJP-led central government with imposing an “undeclared emergency” in the country, “misusing” probe agencies to silence opposition voices and stoking “communal frenzy” in society.
A party resolution said Kumar’s “vision and mission” behind Bihar’s development have been praised in and outside India. The JD(U) leader may reach Delhi on September 5 to meet several opposition leaders, party sources said.
The JD(U) also accused the ruling BJP of having “authoritarian” tendencies and destabilising non-BJP governments in several states, including Delhi and Jharkhand besides Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra earlier.
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