Opposition Alliance United, Always Ready to Face Elections: Nitish Kumar
Image Courtesy: PTI
Patna: Bihar's ruling Mahagathbandhan coalition, which is part of the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), is intact and fully ready to face elections either Lok Sabha or state Assembly polls.
On Monday, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, also de facto chief of JD-U, dared Union Home Minister Amit Shah to hold Bihar Assembly elections along with Lok Sabha elections.
In a solid reply to Shah, who had claimed at a public meeting at Jhanjharpur in Madhubani district on Saturday (September 16) that Assembly polls would be held soon in Bihar because of political uncertainty in the state, Kumar said that Mahagathbandhan is always ready to face elections.
This is the first time Kumar challenged the BJP-led Central government to hold early polls across the country, including Bihar. By saying this, Kumar sent a political message to Shah that Mahagathbandhan was united.
Kumar had repeatedly said BJP-led Central government may go for early Lok Sabha elections instead of scheduled polls in 2024.
"The BJP-led Central government might hold elections before its scheduled time. The elections can happen anytime in the country. Considering this, the opposition must unite," Kumar had said last month.
Shah, during his visit to Bihar last week, described ruling Mahagathbandhan as an alliance of selfishness and compared the ruling Janata Dal (United) of Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal alliance in the state with oil and water, which will never unite despite sharing power.
In recent days, one after another, state BJP leaders said that the Mahagathgbandhan government led by Kumar will not complete its terms till 2025, and there could be mid-term polls in the state.
However, after Kumar requested RJD leader and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav to reply to media queries on the opposition alliance, the latter said that the opposition parties were united and would oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the next elections.
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