Kharge responds to ‘KBC question’ on Nitish Kumar: '...in next 10-15 days'

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday assured that the much-debated question of who will lead the INDIA bloc as its convenor will be answered in the next 10-15 days.

When asked about the rumours that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's name was being considered for the convenor post, Kharge said, “That question (who will be INDIA bloc's convenor?) is like Kaun Banega Crorepati? It will be decided in the next 10-15 days when we hold a meeting. Don't worry about it.”

Nitish Kumar quit the NDA more than a year ago and formed a new government upon joining the 'Mahagathbandhan' that includes Congress, RJD and three Left parties. Kumar then vowed to bring all parties opposed to the BJP together to take on the Narendra Modi-led BJP juggernaut in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

He recently took over the reins of the party after Rajiv Ranjan Singh, aka Lalan Singh, stepped down as JD(U) national president at the national executive meeting in New Delhi. Senior party leader K C Tyagi asserted that the Bihar chief minister was the “ideological convener and ideological prime minister of INDIA”, grabbing the attention of allies and adversaries alike.

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Two ministers in the Bihar government, Madan Sahni and Ratnesh Sada, later said that Kumar deserved to be the prime ministerial candidate, and not merely the convenor of the INDIA coalition.

"Our leader has made it clear that he does not desire for himself any fancy-sounding designation in the coalition. But, since a response is being sought on the buzz that he may be made the convener, I would say why not make him the prime ministerial candidate", Sahni told reporters.

Sahni, who holds the crucial social welfare portfolio in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, also said, "All parties seem to agree that the JD(U) president is the most experienced and capable leader in the coalition. If he is given prominence, it will galvanize voters of Bihar and may also enthuse people elsewhere, who want a credible alternative to the BJP".

Sada, who holds the SC and ST welfare portfolio, said "Nitish Kumar is a leader who has endeared himself to the socially weaker sections in Bihar and elsewhere. He got the caste census done and followed it up with a hike in reservations, demonstrating that he meant business and was not paying lip service to the downtrodden".