Nitish Kumar Declines Convener Role For Opposition Coalition INDIA, Focusing On Unity Drive

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reaffirmed his commitment to fostering opposition unity, emphasizing that his intentions were void of personal ambitions. Amidst speculations that he might assume the role of Convener for the opposition coalition known as INDIA, comprised of over two dozen parties against the BJP, Kumar clarified his stance. "I have consistently maintained that I harbor no personal aspirations. I am content with the role of Convener being handed to another individual. My sole aim is to unite as many parties opposed to the BJP as possible before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. My efforts are singularly directed in this pursuit," Kumar expressed, PTI reported.

Kumar disclosed that a meeting in Mumbai is slated to deliberate on INDIA's future strategies. Notably, he hinted at the potential addition of "a few more" political parties to the coalition during the upcoming meeting. However, the identities of these potential participants remain undisclosed.

The opposition alliance, composed of 26 parties united against the ruling BJP, has already convened twice in Patna and Bengaluru. Their third meeting is scheduled to take place in Mumbai at the end of August and the start of September. This gathering will address critical matters such as seat allocation and other pertinent agendas.

Responding to Bihar BJP President Samrat Chaudhary's assertion that true Indian independence was only realized after the formation of the government in 1977 following Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan's transformative movement, Kumar dismissively remarked, "The fact of India's independence is widely known. Neglecting this historical date is inaccurate. However, I choose not to engage with the statements made by BJP leaders."

In a different context, JD(U) leader KC Tyagi affirmed the leadership qualities of Nitish Kumar, Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, and Sharad Pawar, suggesting that any of them possessed the capability to assume the role of Prime Minister. Tyagi iterated that for JD(U), the positions of PM or Convener were secondary to the broader goals of opposition unity and the 2024 elections.