JD(U) leader KC Tyagi in a recent interview has revealed that Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar was offered the prime ministerial position by the Opposition INDIA bloc to entice him to join the alliance, but he turned down the proposal.
“Nitish Kumar received an offer from the INDIA bloc to become the Prime Minister,” Tyagi stated. “This offer came from the same individuals who had previously prevented him from becoming the convenor of the INDIA bloc. He has declined the offer, and we remain steadfastly with the NDA,” Tyagi added.
This revelation surfaced amid speculation that the INDIA bloc had been trying to build closer ties with the JD(U) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), both allies of the BJP-led NDA, to gather sufficient numbers to form the government at the Centre.
Defying the exit poll predictions, the INDIA bloc performed strongly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, winning 234 seats. Meanwhile, the NDA secured 293 seats, with BJP being the single largest party obtaining 240, which is 32 seats short of the majority mark.
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Later, when asked about the leader or leaders who offered the prime ministerial post to Nitish Kumar, Tyagi declined to name anyone. “Some leaders wanted to approach Nitish Kumar directly with the offer,” Tyagi added. “However, we left the INDIA bloc due to the treatment he and our party leaders received. We have joined the NDA, and there’s no question of looking back now.”
Nitish Kumar, known for his frequent political shifts, was the architect of the INDIA bloc and chaired its first meeting in Patna last year. He left the Opposition alliance and returned to the NDA fold in January 2024.
Nitish Kumar’s party JD(U) secured 12 seats in the Lok Sabha polls and he participated in the NDA parliamentary meeting on Friday, where Narendra Modi was elected as the NDA Parliamentary Party Leader.
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