In an official statement as quoted by news agency PTI, Nitish Kumar blamed JD(U)'s drubbing in the 2020 assembly polls on "BJP's conspiracy" and remembered his own reluctance to continue for another term in office.
"If all the opposition parties fight together, the BJP will be sent packing out for about 50 seats. I am devoting myself to this drive. BJP will try to disturb social and communal harmony in the state. We must foil their patterns by keeping vigil to the level of panchayats," Kumar said.
JD(U) stalwart Nitish Kumar who recently broke ties with the saffron party spoke out on this setback and said that the picture will be different in 2024 if the Opposition parties unite.
“All the six Manipur JD(U) MLAs were scheduled to come for the meet and were ready till a couple of days ago, but suddenly the merger with the BJP happened," Kumar said after JD(U) meeting.
He lashed out raising questions on the conduct of BJP, “Is it the Constitutional way? They had all come to Bihar a few months ago. People are watching the behavior of the BJP. What kind of an approach is this?" he said. "This means they don’t want any Opposition."
Five of the six JD(U) MLAs in Manipur joined the ruling BJP on Friday. Mohammad Nasir, MLA from Lilong seat, is the only MLA left in the JD(U), but he is also tipped to join the saffron camp, according to people familiar with the matter.
Nitish Kumar is likely to visit Delhi from September 5 and meet several Opposition leaders, including Congress' Rahul Gandhi, in his bid to bring them together to fight the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The general elections for Lok Sabha in 2024 may witness PM Narendra Modi and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar going head-to-head.
(With PTI inputs)
