'Nothing More Delightful Than...': Nitish Kumar When Asked If Sharad Pawar to be Face of Oppn Alliance

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and NCP president Sharad Pawar met on Thursday to discuss ways to strengthen Opposition unity ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Supporting the idea of the 82-year-old Nationalist Congress Party chief being the face of the Opposition “gathbandhan”, the JD(U) leader said there will be “nothing more delightful than that.”

After the meeting at the NCP chief’s South Mumbai residence, both the leaders addressed the media where Kumar was asked if Pawar will be the main face of the Opposition alliance. To this, the Bihar Chief Minister said, “There will be nothing more delightful than that…I have told him that he has to work strongly not only for his party but the entire country.”

Reacting to it, Pawar, who was also present in the media briefing, said, “To save democracy, we have to work together. The face will be decided later.”

Kumar visited Pawar’s residence along with Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and told media that what the ruling BJP is doing is not in the interest of the country. Earlier, the Bihar CM also met Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray at the latter’s Bandra residence.

“What BJP is doing nowadays is not in the interest of the country. In such a situation, if more and more opposition parties unite, it would be better for the country,” Kumar said, adding that many parties have got in touch with them.

NCP chief Pawar said these discussions are part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and “We all have been together and we are bringing in more parties and groups.”

After the meeting, Pawar tweeted, “Welcomed the Chief Minister of Bihar Shri Nitish Kumar ji and deputy Chief Minister Shri Tejashwi Yadav ji at my Mumbai residence today. We had a brief discussion to strengthen the Opposition unity ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.”

Nitish Kumar has been meeting Opposition leaders to strengthen the alliance against the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

(with inputs from PTI)