KC Tyagi, a senior leader of Janata Dal (United) (JDU), revealed that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was offered the prime ministerial post by the opposition INDIA bloc after the Lok Sabha election results.
Despite this significant offer, Tyagi confirmed that the JDU has declined all proposals from the opposition and is committed to working with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the next five years, reported NDTV.
Tyagi addressed recent speculations regarding the INDIA bloc's attempts to bring Nitish Kumar back into the alliance to prevent the NDA from forming the government for a third term. He emphasized that Kumar's speech supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi dispelled any rumors about his stance. "These reports should have stopped when we (JDU) joined the NDA," Tyagi asserted.
He expressed discontent with the treatment of their leader by Congress and its allies, which led to JDU choosing a different path. "Those who thought Nitish Kumar was not worthy of being the alliance's convenor are now offering him the Prime Minister's post. But the JDU has already rejected all such offers," Tyagi stated.
Tyagi also highlighted the party's primary demand for granting special status to Bihar to aid its development. He pointed out that Bihar was left with significant challenges, such as unemployment and poverty, after the state's division and the allocation of resources and coal mines to Jharkhand.
Speculation about a potential reunion between Nitish Kumar and the INDIA bloc arose when it became evident that the BJP might not secure 272 seats on its own. Prominent INDIA leaders, including former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, suggested extending an olive branch to Kumar. However, sources close to Kumar later ruled out this possibility, citing unresolved discussions about ministerial positions.
According to sources, JDU is expected to receive two key posts in the new cabinet under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which will be sworn in tomorrow. The party has proposed senior leaders Lalan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur for these positions. Lalan Singh is a Lok Sabha member from Bihar's Munger, while Ram Nath Thakur, son of Bharat Ratna awardee Karpoori Thakur, is a Rajya Sabha MP.