JD(U) MLA Gopal Mandal Suggests Nitish Kumar as Opposition PM Candidate Amidst Divide Over Mallikarjun Kharge Proposal
Just as Congress is scrambling for damage control following Mamata Banerjee’s suggestion of Mallikarjun Kharge as the Opposition prime ministerial candidate, a Janata Dal (United) MLA, Gopal Mandal, has hinted at a division over the proposal. Mandal insists on naming Nitish Kumar as the Opposition PM candidate if the alliance manages to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
During the last INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi, Mamata Banerjee reportedly proposed the name of Mallikarjun Kharge as the alliance convener and prime ministerial candidate. Banerjee claimed that the proposal had the support of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Kharge, however, refused to comment on the proposal, stating that the primary goal for the INDIA bloc was to win the Lok Sabha elections.
According to reports, Kharge has reached out to Nitish Kumar, while Rahul Gandhi has met with Sharad Pawar in an attempt to control the potential damage caused by the proposal. Rahul Gandhi is also expected to contact Nitish Kumar, although the details of these calls have not been disclosed.
While Nitish Kumar humbly responds to the question of becoming the Prime Minister, expressing his primary objective of uniting the Opposition against the BJP, there is a belief that he secretly aspires to hold the top leadership position.,
The Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), a political party in India, has made a dismissive statement in response to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s proposal of a candidate for the opposition’s prime ministerial position. The party stated, “Nobody knows Kharge,” referring to Mallikarjun Kharge, a senior Congress leader who has been suggested by Banerjee as a potential candidate. The JD(U)’s comment highlights their lack of familiarity with Kharge and suggests that they do not view him as a strong contender for the position.
