Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Is Taking Right Steps To Forge Opposition Unity

By Harihar Swarup

0n April 12, when Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar walked into 10, Rajaji Marg, residence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi to debate methods to deliver opposition events collectively, it marked the tip of an extended look forward to the seasoned politician.

Nitish had been ready for the Congress to answer his proposal that he may assist deliver opposition events collectively to type an alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Ever since he had severed ties with NDA on August 9, 2022 and shaped Mahagathbandhan authorities with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress, the veteran had been anticipating a name from the Congress.

Since 2015, when the Mahagathbandhan has registered a surprising victory over the BJP in Bihar regardless of the saffron get together driving excessive on the triumph of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Nitish has been eager on an analogous alliance on the nationwide stage. He had prompt that he may assist in reaching out to regional leaders, however the congress was unwilling to cede area to regional forces. Equally, most regional events weren’t comfy doing enterprise with the precept opposition get together. Nitish had subsequently returned to the NDA fold.

Extra lately, after the formation of the mahagathbandhan authorities in Bihar final 12 months, Nitish met then Congress president Sonia Gandhi together with RJD’s founding chief Lalu Prasad. He had in that assembly taken up the Bharat Jodo yatra and preparations for the Congress plenary session.

On the nationwide conference of the CPI (ML) Liberation held earlier this 12 months in Patna, Nitish stated he was ready for the Congress to reply. The Bihar Chief minister was a primary few opposition leaders, Kharge reached out to in early April. A 3-day go to to Delhi was deliberate quickly after cellphone name, with Nitish displaying an important sense of urgency to start his outreach efforts. The assembly is being seen as the primary main transfer in direction of opposition unity. NCP President Sharad Pawar, distinguished determine within the anti-BJP bloc, was initially scheduled to hitch the assembly, however he met the Congress management a day later. Like Nitish Kumar, Pawar, too, underlined the necessity to attain out to events like Trinamool Congress and the Aam Aadmi Occasion.

It’s learnt that Nitish supplied to deliver on board events that aren’t comfy being in the identical body because the Congress, resembling Trinamool Congress, the AAP, the Bharat Rashtra Samiti and the Samajwadi get together. Nitish’s deputy within the Bihar cupboard, Tejashwi Yadav, who has a household relationship with Samajwadi management, would attempt to deliver Akhilesh Yadav on board. The Bihar chief’s plan of motion additionally consists of reaching out to fence sitters just like the Biju Janata Dal and the YSR Congress. Alternatively, the Congress is predicted to reaffirm its ties with current allies in states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand.

The opposition has missed the presence of a frontrunner just like the late CPI-M stalwart Harkishen Singh Surjit, who succeeded in bringing collectively unlikely allies, be it within the formation of the United Entrance governments after the Lok Sabha elections in 1996 or bringing the Left and the Congress nearer after the 2004 common elections. Nitish’s supporters really feel that he may carry out an analogous function within the run as much as the Lok Sabha polls in 2024.

The Congress has described Nitish’s assembly with Kharge and Rahul as a “historic step”. Nitish’s supporters say he’s greatest suited to play the function of an anchor of the opposition grouping, given his seniority and huge political expertise. And, he enjoys good rapport with leaders throughout events.

As per the proposal Nitish has made to the Congress, he would make an effort to deliver as many political events as attainable on a standard platform. Throughout his three-day go to to Delhi, he met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, CPI-M common secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI common secretary D. Raja.

Nitish has made it clear that any viable opposition grouping would require the Congress as its fulcrum. Therefore if his outreach efforts discover takers among the many events which have stored their distance from the Congress, it additionally quantities to those events accepting the congress’s centrality in any opposition alliance. Nitish believes that congress can not   be stored out for the reason that get together and its allies tackle the BJP in round 250 seats.

After assembly Nitish, Kejriwal stated all the opposition ought to come collectively and alter the federal government on the centre. This marks an enormous departure from the AAP’s said place because the get together eager to keep up its identification as an entity that’s completely different from different events.

“Now we have all condemned the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi and we had been collectively in petitioning the Supreme Court docket over the misuse of investing businesses. These are nonetheless early days and what type of this understanding amongst opposition events takes will rely upon a lot of elements “, stated Sanjay Singh, AAP Rajya Sabha member. (IPA Service)

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