Ahead of the third meeting of the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) in Mumbai, Janata Dal (United) leader and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on August 27 that BJP leaders are feeling threatened due to the unity of the Opposition. Mr. Kumar also said that some more political parties would be joining the Mumbai meeting.
Mr. Kumar said this while speaking to reporters after the inspection of a construction work in Patna. Earlier this week, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and former Chief Minister Lalu Prasad too had said that INDIA will save the democracy which is currently in danger as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking all the effort to eliminate the constitution of Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
“They (read BJP) know very well that Opposition parties were earlier scattered and now all the political parties are united after my initiative. They are feeling threatened because they will have to face loss due opposition getting united. This is also the reason the BJP leaders keep attacking me but I really don’t care what they say about me and I will keep working,” Mr. Kumar said.
Two of INDIA’s meetings have already taken place in Patna and Bengaluru and the third is scheduled in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1 to chalk out the future strategy. Mr. Kumar has played an important role in uniting the Opposition parties and bringing them on a common platform and there is speculation that he would be appointed as INDIA convener.
Mr. Kumar reiterated that he does not have any personal desire to become anything except uniting the opposition. Mr. Kumar also said that in the Mumbai meeting, some more political parties will join and discussion should also be held on Lok Sabha seats as well.
“I will be going to Mumbai for the third meeting and discussion will take place on several issues. Some more political parties would be joining the meeting. Finalisation of some issues would take place and I also want that discussion should take place on who will contest from which seat,” Mr. Kumar said.
Even Mr. Prasad had said that everything had been finalised and the Mumbai meeting would be probably the final meeting of the alliance as little time was left for the Lok Sabha election.
On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging him of selling the country’s public undertaking and resources to private companies.
“Selling the country’s public undertakings, resources and national wealth by the BJP government at the Center to big industrialists under the guise of so-called reforms is against the interests of the poor, farmers and the country. Why is the central government selling trillions of national assets to selected private companies? If the Modi government cannot increase the wealth of the nation, then why is it causing loss to the country by selling the hard-earned assets of decades after independence at throwaway prices,” Mr. Yadav alleged.
He also said that the Modi government should explain how selling national assets to a few selected capitalists will help the country and the economy?
“We the people of India will continue to fight till the end against this attempt to sell and mortgage our country in the hands of a few capitalists,” Mr. Yadav said
Meanwhile, RJD’s chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Dr. Manoj Kumar Jha was in Patna and he alleged that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is guilty in the matter of caste-based survey. Jha said when the Bihar delegation went to meet the Prime Minister on the issue of caste survey, Narendra Modi remained silent since then. He also alleged that the PMO can’t get out of the realm of RSS thinking.
