NCP will support Kanhaiya Kumar in Lok Sabha polls
MUMBAI:THE Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is ready to support Kanhaiya Kumar, former president of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students’ Union, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Senior NCP leader and Member of Parliament Tariq Anwar confirmed it, said they will support Kumar if he contests the polls as a candidate of the ‘grand alliance’ against the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal United and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
There is said to be an understanding in the grand alliance -comprising the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, NCP and Communist Party of India (CPI) — that Begusarai Lok Sabha seat will be left for CPI, from where Kumar is expected to contest.
On Sunday, Kumar said if CPI decides to nominate him as the party candidate and other grand alliance parties extend their support, he will have no problem in contesting.
“CPI will be part of the a grand alliance coming up in Bihar for the 2019 elections. Kumar is expected to contest polls as grand alliance candidate and thus will get support from parties, including NCP,” Anwar said.
Anwar represents the neighbouring Katihar Lok Sabha constituency, located around 170 kilometres from Begusarai.
In the 2014 general elections, RJD lost the Begusarai seat to BJP’S Dr Bhola Singh. CPI finished third. NCP was part of the Rjd-congress alliance and had contested only one seat — Katihar. RJD contested on 27 while Congress fought on 12 seats in the last general polls.