Amid growing political speculation on his national ambitions, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday clarified that he was no claimant for the Prime Minister’s post but would certainly play his role as a “catalyst” for the 2019 parliamentary elections. He also slammed the BJP for misleading people in the name of patriotism and asserted that he “doesn’t need a certificate of patriotism from the BJP and RSS.”
“I’m no claimant for the Prime Minister’s post; those who stake a claim for it never get it. But certainly I will keep playing my role as a catalyst and appeal to all non-BJP parties to be united … In Bihar, the grand alliance defeated them and they will be defeated by such alliance in the country as well,” said Mr. Kumar after being officially appointed as the Janata Dal (United)’s national president at the party’s national council meeting. Senior party leaders, including former President Sharad Yadav, and over 600 party delegates from 28 States were present.
Slamming the BJP, Mr. Kumar further said people were being misled in the name of patriotism. “Those who had no role in the country’s freedom struggle are today teaching lessons in patriotism. I do not need any certificate of patriotism from the BJP or the RSS,” said Mr. Kumar. He also attacked the BJP for not fulfilling any of its poll promises made during the 2014 Lok Sabha campaign.
Declaring that prohibition in Bihar would eventually become a “social movement”, Mr. Kumar said he would be in the forefront of the anti-liquor campaigns across the country. “I will begin my march from the neighbouring state of Jharkhand and then, on May 15, I go to Uttar Pradesh to address an anti-liquor programme organised by some women’s group … thereafter, I will visit Orissa and other States too,” he said. “Recently, some newspapers reported that Laluji had backed me as PM’s candidate, to create discontent between the JD(U) and the Congress … don’t know how and what they write to confuse people,” Mr Kumar said, reiterating “whatever the nature of the alliance, I’ll keep trying to forge the largest possible unity among all non-BJP parties to repeat the Bihar Assembly results in the 2019 Lok Sabha election to defeat the BJP.”
