Sharad Pawar as opposition's face? Nitish says ‘nothing more delightful’
NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar stressed the need for opposition parties to work together in the interest of the nation.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday backed the idea of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar being the face of opposition alliance, saying there will be “nothing more delightful than that.” Addressing a joint press conference after meeting Sharad Pawar in Mumbai, Nitish Kumar said they are trying hard to form a larger coalition, and more opposition parties come together, the better it is in the interest of the country.
Nitish Kumar visited Pawar at the latter’s residence in south Mumbai along with his deputy Tejashwi Yadav amid efforts to strengthen opposition's unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“What BJP is doing nowadays is not in the interest of the country. In such a situation, if more and more opposition parties unite, it would be better for the country,” he said. “All I can say now is that it is happening in the interest of the country.”
Asked if Pawar will be the main face of the opposition alliance, Kumar said, “There will be nothing more delightful than that. I have told him that he has to work with more vigour not only for his party but for the entire country.”
(Also Read | Nitish Kumar, Naveen Patnaik meet say no alliance talks)
Pawar said these discussions are part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Both Kumar and Pawar are in alliance with Congress in their respective states.
“To save democracy, it is important to work together. After looking at the condition of the country, it seems that if we work together, there will be support for the alternative,” the NCP chief said.
He claimed that the BJP will lose in the Karnataka assembly elections. “As per my info, people there will oust BJP and elect a secular government,” he said.
“Welcomed the Chief Minister of Bihar Shri Nitish Kumar ji and deputy Chief Minister Shri Tejashwi Yadav ji at my Mumbai residence today. We had a brief discussion to strengthen the Opposition unity ahead of the Lok Sabha elections,” Pawar tweeted after meeting Kumar.
Earlier today, Kumar met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray at 'Matoshree' in Mumbai as part of his efforts to bring Opposition leaders under one roof to strengthen the bloc against the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
