PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday made it clear that he had "no problems" with the Congress, his ally in the state, pushing for Rahul Gandhi as Prime Ministerial candidate for the next general elections. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, the JD(U) leader also reiterated that he was "not a claimant" for the top post though he reaffirmed his commitment to galvanising parties opposed to the BJP with which he had snapped ties nearly five months ago.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Kumar was responding to queries from journalists about the recent averment of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath that Gandhi will be the "opposition's PM face" in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.


Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath on Friday said Rahul Gandhi will be the opposition's prime minister candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Nath lauded Gandhi for leading the Congress' countrywide Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying he is not doing politics for power but for the common people of the country.
"As far as the 2024 Lok Sabha election is concerned, Rahul Gandhi will not just be the face of the opposition but will be its prime ministerial candidate too," he said.


Nath also said that no one in the history of the world has undertaken such a long 'padayatra'. No family other than the Gandhi family has given so many sacrifices for the country, the Congress leader said. "Rahul Gandhi does not do politics for power, but for the people of the country who make anyone sit in power," he said.


The Madhya Pradesh chief minister is the lone leader to have come forward in favour of Rahul Gandhi's candidature for the 2024 polls. The 76-year-old Congress chief of Madhya Pradesh also said there was no place for "traitors" in the party after they betrayed the organisation.


Asked if there was any chance of Jyotiraditya Scindia's return to the party in the future, Nath said, "I would not comment on any individual, but those 'traitors' who betrayed the party and broke the trust of its workers, there is no place for them in the organisation."


He further said that the old pension scheme would be implemented in the state soon after the Congress assumes power in Madhya Pradesh. Nath said that the BJP may change any chief minister but it would not matter as people have made up their minds to elect the Congress in Madhya Pradesh.


He also said that organisational changes would be initiated in the state ahead of the assembly elections. Madhya Pradesh will go to polls later next year and the Congress is eyeing to wrest power from the BJP in the state.