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Journalism of Courage
Days after he received a call from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge pressing for Opposition unity, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar on Tuesday arrived in Delhi on a three-day visit, during which he is expected to play a key role in bridging the gap between the Congress and other Opposition parties, particularly the regional players.
The trip was planned after the call from Kharge, whom Nitish is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, sources in the JD(U) told The Indian Express. They said Nitish was looking forward to playing the bridge between the Congress and other parties to carve a stronger and united Opposition to take on the BJP government.
After his arrival in Delhi, the Chief Minister first met his ally in Bihar, RJD president Lalu Prasad.
Lalu’s son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav is currently in Delhi after being summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in connection with a case related to the alleged land-for-jobs scam. On Tuesday, he was questioned for more than nine hours.
On Nitish meeting Lalu, a source in the RJD said: “It was more than a courtesy call. With Lalu Prasad’s family facing CBI and ED questioning, the Bihar Chief Minister’s visit is a way to express solidarity with his ally on the issue of political vendetta.”
During his trip, Nitish is expected to meet several leaders, apart from Kharge, and possibly senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, JD(U) leaders said.
“It is a long-awaited trip of Nitish Kumar towards national Opposition unity. We are happy AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge made the first move, it is now time to set the ball rolling,” said K C Tyagi, senior JD(U) leader and former Rajya Sabha MP.
On Friday last week, Kharge had said that he was touch with leaders of other parties, and had called up Nitish apart from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M K Stalin and former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, to stitch together a united Opposition.
JD(U) leader Tyagi said the role of Nitish will be crucial.
“Nitish Kumar is one leader who can play a bridge between the Congress and regional parties. He has long experience of working with Janata Parivar leaders. He also has the advantage of working with former NDA allies such as TDP and TMC. He shares a good relationship with Left parties as well,” he said, adding that Nitish will try to meet the maximum number of leaders of other parties.
Over the next three days, Nitish is expected to meet Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and top Left leaders.
“By striking alliance with Lalu Prasad, who was our political adversary for a long time, Nitish Kumar has dropped a subtle message to regional parties to forget their differences for the bigger cause of defeating the BJP in 2024 polls,” said Tyagi, hoping for a fruitful outcome of what the JD(U) often calls “Nitish’s Mission 2024”.
Nitish, however, has reiterated he is not in the race for the PM’s post but he wanted maximum opposition parties to come together against the BJP. He has been insisting on a Opposition front in which the Congress should play the lead role although several Opposition parties have been vocal for a non-Congress alliance.
