Janata Dal (United) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’, who had accompanied Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on the Bengaluru trip where Opposition parties came together and formed an alliance named ‘INDIA’, strongly refuted reports of the CM’s displeasure over the name of the new coalition, and called it “dushprachar” of the BJP-led NDA government.
Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lalan told reporters, “This is all dushprachar and rumour mongering on the part of the NDA led by the country’s honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The name INDIA bore the stamp of approval from all leaders present at the opposition meet.”
Over speculations of Nitish Kumar being made the convenor, he said that it was not on the agenda of the Bengaluru meet, and could likely be decided when a meeting takes place in Mumbai.
The JD(U) leader also hit out at former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi saying he suffered from “chhapas rog” (craving publicity). Sushil Modi had alleged that Nitish Kumar had skipped the press conference as he was dissatisfied over not being made the convenor.
Lalan said, “Nitish Kumar is the sutradhar (driving force) of opposition unity. And, a sutradhar never gets angry.”
Speaking about the NDA meeting called in Delhi by the Prime Minister on Wednesday, the JDU president called it a desperate move. He further mocked BJP’s claim of 30 parties being part of NDA saying that over a dozen such political outfits are from the north-east, and the entire region accounts for only 23 Lok Sabha seats.
Twenty-six opposition parties on Tuesday formed a coalition –Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)– to unitedly take on the ruling NDA with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asserting that the fight will be “between INDIA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.
The 26 parties have a combined strength of about 150 seats in Lok Sabha, as against over 330 of the NDA, and are in power individually or in alliance in Delhi and 10 states.
The 26 opposition parties are –the Congress, TMC, DMK, AAP, JD(U), RJD, JMM, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Shiv Sena (UBT), SP, NC, PDP, CPI(M), CPI, RLD, MDMK, Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK), VCK, RSP, CPI-ML (Liberation), Forward Bloc, IUML, Kerala Congress (Joseph), Kerala Congress (Mani), Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), and the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK).