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What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
Bihar Chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Delhi trip has set the tongues wagging on the political battlefield. While Kumar’s Delhi sojourn is looked at as an attempt to unite the opposition parties before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, there are whispers of the Janata Dal (United) leader testing the mood to realise his prime ministerial ambitions.
On Monday, Kumar met former Congress chief Rahul and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy in the capital. Kumar is also scheduled to meet Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Left leaders D Raja and Sitaram Yechury, along with Haryana strongman and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Om Prakash Chautala on Tuesday.
As per political analysts, Kumar’s visit to Delhi, and other states, can be seen as a sign that he might be looking to fulfil his long-cherished ambition of becoming Prime Minister of the country.
Earlier, in a two-day national executive and council meeting of JD (U) in Patna on Sunday and Saturday, the party office was echoed with slogans in support of his PM candidature. In the meeting, he declared that he would be going to Delhi on a three-day visit.
It was Kumar’s first visit since leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and rejoining the Mahagathbandhan with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress.
After landing in Delhi, Kumar met Gandhi scion Rahul Gandhi at the latter’s residence. Sources in Congress told The New Indian that the two leaders discussed issues of opposition unity with the 2024 General Election in mind.
Kumar and Gandhi also discussed the Common Minimum Programme for the new Bihar government along with other issues related to the state. It is also learnt that the Congress leader appealed to all the like-minded parties to join the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Sources, however, said that there was no discussion about the PM candidate.
Interestingly, four days before coming to Delhi, Kumar met Telangana CM Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao or KCR.
Kumar will have a hectic schedule on Tuesday. He will be meeting Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal at his residence in Civil Lines in North Delhi at 1.30 pm.
Earlier in the day, Kumar is expected to meet CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury and D Raja, the CPI general secretary. Kumar is also scheduled to meet former Haryana CM and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Om Prakash Chautala at 4 pm at his residence in central Delhi.
