‘It’s a good start’: Oppn’s jibe as Nitish exits NDA
Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar on Tuesday resigned as “NDA’s chief minister” to stake claim to form a new government after being declared, unanimously, the leader of the opposition Grand Alliance. Soon after his resignation, political parties across various states came in support of Kumar’s decision with some calling it as a “shot in the arm” and others referring to it as a “good start”.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday termed the move as a “good start” towards taking a stand against BJP by political parties and people. While talking to mediapersons in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, Yadav said, “It’s a good start. On this day, the slogan of ‘Angrezo Bharat Chhodo’ was given and today the slogan of ‘BJP Bhagaon’ is coming from Bihar. I think soon, political parties and people in different states will stand against BJP.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Kumar resigned, breaking his alliance with the BJP.
After tendering his resignation, Nitish Kumar left the Raj Bhavan and arrived at the residence of Rabri Devi in Patna.
In another development, the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday said its president M K Stalin’s vision to fight the BJP at the national level has gained momentum with Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) pulling out of the National Democratic Alliance in Bihar.
To take on the saffron party at the Centre, DMK organisation secretary R S Bharathi said that his party president M K Stalin, also Tamil Nadu chief minister, had batted for opposition parties to join hands, well ahead of the Presidential election held last month. This vision of his party chief to fight the BJP nationally, has now gained momentum and it would pick up more traction ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Bharathi told PTI Bihar. Apparently, the DMK leader indicated that such mobilization of anti-BJP forces would eventually dislodge the saffron party from seat of power at the Centre in 2024 Lok Sabha election.
Meanwhile, former J&K chief minister and PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti said that in J&K political parties opposing the BJP are looking beyond political differences to forge an alliance. Mehbooba Mufti accused BJP of using every agency against parties to make country opposition free.
“The predicament Nitish Kumar & opposition parties find themselves in isn’t just because they are facing BJP. Instead they are facing the might of an authoritarian government thats weaponising every agency be it NIA, ED, CBI etc to ensure an opposition free India,” tweeted Mehbooba Mufti .
The BJP on Tuesday accused Kumar of “insulting and betraying” people’s mandate.
RCP Singh, once a close aide of Kumar and now out of favour, also accused the chief minister of betraying the mandate of the 2020 assembly polls in the favour of the BJP-led NDA.
BJP leader Union minister Giriraj Singh said the BJP had acknowledged him as a chief ministerial candidate first in 1996 when it was a much bigger party.