Step up, offer alternative agenda: Nitish slams Cong over Prez poll differences
Patna: Janata Dal (United) Chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday clarified that he will not be the Opposition’s prime ministerial candidate for the 2019 polls, deeming himself ineligible for the post.
Speaking to the media, Kumar said, “I have said earlier also that I am not the PM face of opposition in 2019, neither am I eligible”.
Blaming the Congress for the multiple narratives followed by Opposition in the Presidential poll, Kumar said that Congress had to step up and provide an alternative agenda for a unified Opposition.
Addressing a press conference here, Kumar said, "I have said earlier also that the Congress is a big party and should set alternate narrative and agenda. Opposition needs an alternate narrative and just reactive narrative won't work".
Kumar also said that there was no rift in the Maha Gathbandhan, stemming from the variance in opinions over the next President. He also questioned how the proceedings of a closed meeting reached the press.
"Yesterday, there was a meeting of party's state executive, which is generally a closed door one and it is a forum where all the issues are discussed. Congress is a part of Maha Gathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar and it is our priority to fulfill the programmes of the Maha Gadhbandhan," Nitish said.
On Sunday, it was reported that Nitish had held Congress responsible for the chaos amid Opposition parties over the Presidential elections.
His reported observation came after senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had indirectly criticised Nitish Kumar for extending support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind.
Without naming Nitish, Azad had said that people who believe in one principle take one decision, but those who believe in several principles take different decisions.
The Congress leader also had said that he (Nitish) had taken the first step for defeating a Dalit leader (Oppostion's Presidential candidate Meira Kumar) by extending support to Kovind.
Azad reacted after Nitish blamed Congress for fielding Bhiar ki Beti (daughter of Bihar) only to lose.
The Bihar Chief Minister said that the JD(U) had given a reply to whatever Azad had said and the matter was limited to the Presidential elections only.
