No Takers for Nitish' Opposition Unity move, for now
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may be a new torch bearer to unite like-minded Opposition parties against the BJP. But it is a long shot as many Opposition parties are signing their own tunes. Neither West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee nor Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar have issued a formal statement welcoming developments in Bihar. They have not even congratulated Nitish Kumar. Even Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has maintained silence. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik looked the other way as if nothing happened in Bihar. Andhra Chief Minister Y Jaganmohan Reddy also opted to keep quiet. The BSP has not reacted to these developments. Mayawati has been lending support to the NDA on crucial moments inside and outside Parliament.
A senior Janata Dal (U) leader said on the condition of anonymity, “many Prime Ministerial candidates in the Opposition are rattled though Nitish ji has repeatedly said that such ambitions are not on his mind.” Kumar also allayed such apprehensions saying, “It's (PM's post) not on my mind. No matter what people say, even if people close to me say it." Nitish Kumar is the latest leader to join Opposition unity efforts before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Earlier, Mamata Banerjee and K Chandrashekhar Rao spearheaded the movement to unite Opposition parties. If KCR traveled to various states and met Opposition leaders, Mamata Banerjee presided over the 15-party conclave to select a Presidential candidate. But their efforts did not bear any tangible fruits as they lack appeal in North India. With Nitish Kumar emerging on the scene, these parties have gone back into the shell. Nitish Kumar, after expanding his Cabinet, is likely to chart out his own course for Opposition unity beginning with Congress, DMK and others. He has a tough task to unite 20-odd parties.
