Wish 'Bharat Jodo' Every Success But Can't Attend Concluding Event: JD(U) President

JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan on Thursday wished "every success" to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ even as he expressed inability to attend its concluding event at Srinagar next week.

Lalan's reply to the invitation from AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge was shared by JD(U) with the media here.

Kharge, in the invitation, flagged the "frightening" pace at which the country was "transforming from an electoral democracy to an elected autocracy", an allusion to BJP which rules the Centre.

"I, on behalf of my party, the party's supreme leader, Mr Nitish Kumar, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Bihar and crores of members of the party wish the event every success," said the JD(U) president.

The JD(U) has the Congress as its alliance partner in Bihar and the CM, a strong votary of opposition unity that could take on BJP in Lok Sabha polls next year, has also made it clear that he was not in favor of a "third front" nor averse to Congress projecting Rahul Gandhi as Prime Ministerial candidate.

Lalan cited his engagements in poll-bound Nagaland, where the JD(U) has some stakes, while expressing his inability to attend the "historic event" at Srinagar on January 30.

"I sincerely believe that Bharat Jodo Yatra has given an opportunity to study, experience and understand the mood and anxieties of the people first hand, which, I am sure, will go a long way in helping us formulate joint strategies in the run up to 2024 Lok Sabha elections," he said.

"My party sincerely feels that the need of the hour is a unified opposition and expects that the Indian National Congress takes appropriate steps in this direction," added the JD(U) chief.