PATNA: Ahead of the Opposition leaders’ meeting in Mumbai, there is intense speculation over whether Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Phulpur in neighboring Uttar Pradesh. Last year too, there were rumors about Nitish contesting from Phulpur, but his party, the JD-U, rejected it. However, this time, JD-U has started a discussion on it.
Senior party leader and minister in the grand alliance government Shrawan Kumar said that party workers from various UP constituencies wanted Nitish to contest the Lok Sabha election from that state. Sharawan Kumar, who is the state rural development minister, said UP leaders wanted to meet Nitish to convey their feelings and have sought an appointment. Shrawan had gone on a two-day visit to Uttar Pradesh from July 31 to attend a meeting of party workers of the party.
Senior JD-U minister said that being in charge of UP JD (U), whenever he was on a tour to UP recently, people wanted Nitish to contest election from any constituency, either Phulpur, Pratappur, Jaunpur, Ambedkar Naga or any other place of his choice. However, no reaction has come from Nitish Kumar on the issue. The JD-U has given the responsibility to three party leaders to prepare the ground for Nitish in Phulpur, sources in the party said.
Besides senior JD-U minister Shrawan Kumar, Nalanda MP Kaushalendra Kumar and MLC Sanjay Singh had also been engaged in the work. Under this strategy, they are continuously camping in the area and creating an atmosphere.
Nitish who has been successful in bringing 15 political parties together in the first meeting of the Opposition parties in state capital is expected to play a greater role at the national level. There is also speculation that Nitish may be declared the coordinator of I.N.D.I.A. (the opposition conclave) at Mumbai meeting.
Earlier, JD-Uchief Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh had also given a hint about it although he had also claimed that no final decision on Nitish contesting LS election had been taken but there is a demand from JD (U) workers from Phulpur, Ambedkar Nagar and Jaunpur that Nitish should be fielded as a candidate from either of the seats. Former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru represented Phulpur in Lok Sabha in 1952, 1957 and 1962.
‘Demand from people’
Senior JD-U leader and Bihar minister Shrawan Kumar said that being in-charge of UP JD-U, whenever he was on a tour to UP recently, people wanted Nitish to contest the election from any constituency, either Phulpur, Pratappur, Jaunpur, Ambedkar Naga or any other place of his choice