BJP will be reduced to 50 seats in 2024, says Nitish Kumar as JD(U) pitches him as PM face
India Today
Amid buzz that he will emerge as the PM face, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said the BJP can be sent packing with just 50 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by a united Opposition.
At a key JD(U) conclave on Saturday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar mounted an all-out attack on the BJP and said the saffron party can be sent packing with just 50 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by a united Opposition.
"If all (opposition) parties fight together, the BJP will be bundled out for about 50 seats. I am devoting myself to that drive (abhiyan)", said Kumar at a meeting of his party JD(U)’s national executive in Patna.
The JD(U) leader’s statement comes ahead of his two-day trip to Delhi on September 5, during which he will meet political leaders from across party lines in a bid to forge Opposition unity.
Kumar downplayed buzz that he may emerge as the prime ministerial face and asserted that his only goal is to work for uniting the Opposition to unseat the BJP from power.
Kumar also disparaged the BJP after five of the six JD(U) MLAs in Manipur jumped ship to the saffron party, while party chief Rajiv Ranjan aka Lalan Singh accused the former ally of using money power to poach legislators from other parties.
"Is it proper? Is it constitutional? Is it in line with established norms? They are doing so everywhere. Hence all parties must unite in 2024 for a positive mandate," said Kumar while speaking to mediapersons Saturday.
"When we were in NDA, they (BJP) gave our MLAs nothing. Now they have been won over," said the 71-year-old veteran politician, in what appeared to be a reference to horse-trading.
