Parties opposed to the BJP can win with a “huge majority” in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections if they are united, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Sunday while addressing the open session of the national council meeting of the Janata Dal (United).
“There will be no third front in 2024, what will be formed next time will be the ‘main front’,” he said adding that if opposition parties are united, they can defeat the BJP. “Everyone should remain united. If we remain united, we will win maximum seats in 2024.”
Kumar’s JD(U) had won the 2020 assembly elections in the NDA alliance with the BJP. In August this year, the JD(U) chairperson walked out of the alliance and formed a ‘mahagathbandhan’ with seven parties, including the Congress and Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD.
He alleged that despite being in an alliance, the BJP had sought to defeat the JD(U) in the 2020 elections. “During the assembly elections in 2020, our party won less seats. Despite having an alliance, the ally (BJP) was busy ensuring our defeat,” he said. “Never before had our party won such a low number of seats in the 2005 or 2010 assembly elections. We suffered in 2020 as they tried to ensure the defeat of our candidates.”
The BJP engineered defections in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur as well, he alleged. All these made us move out. They will be taught a lesson in the next elections, he added.
Kurhani Bypoll Result
The BJP’s candidate Kedar Gupta won the recently concluded Kurhani by-election, defeating JD(U)’s Manoj Kushwaha by a margin of 3,632 votes.
Dismissing the loss as inconsequential, Kumar said that he was not interested in the bypoll but other alliance partners “wanted us to contest”.
“They (BJP) lost at several places, but a hue and cry is being made over our loss at the by-poll,” he said.
Sushil Kumar Modi Reacts
Kumar’s comments drew a sharp response from BJP MP and former Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi. India will not be BJP free, but Bihar will definitely become JD(U) free in 2024, he said.
“Nitish Kumar has lost his popularity and he doesn’t hold the capacity anymore to hold back his base votes,” he said.
“He has also accepted his failure to unite the opposition and he should try for 2029. He cannot bring Kejriwal and AAP Congress together for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls. “I am sure that the country will not become BJP-mukt (free) but in 2024 Bihar will definitely become JD(U) mukt in 2024.”
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