'Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is Prime Minister material,' says JD(U) leader Upendra Kushwaha

Janata Dal (United) leader Upendra Kushwaha`s comment comes at a time when opposition parties are in deliberation to form a united front against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Patna: Janata Dal (United) leader Upendra Kushwaha on Sunday (August 1) said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is "PM material" and has the potential and all qualities to become the Prime Minister of the country.

Addressing media persons here, the JD (U) leader said, "People made Narendra Modi Prime Minister and today he is doing good work. But there are other leaders in the country who have the potential to become the Prime Minister. Nitish Kumar is one of such leaders. Nitish Kumar has all the capability of becoming the Prime Minister and there is no doubt about that. He should be called PM-material. It is not about challenging Prime Minister Modi."

Asked about whether Nitish Kumar will be projected as the Prime Ministerial face, Kushwaha said, "We are in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and firmly support the alliance. There is no discussion in this for now."The JD(U) is an ally of the BJP in Bihar and the party`s RCP Singh had been inducted into the union council of ministers when PM Modi reshuffled his cabinet recently.

Kushwaha`s comment comes at a time when opposition parties are in deliberation to form a united front against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Also, the JD(U) had earlier said that it will contest the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and for that will discuss the seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP and if it does not work out then they will go it alone.

In the last elections in 2017, it had not been contested in UP. Notably, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was in Delhi earlier this week to hold meetings with several leaders of Opposition parties.

(With agency inputs)