Patna : It seems chance are high for Opposition parties to choose Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate for the 2024 polls.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is largely seen as a potential claimant for the candidature, has announced that he is not running for the office.
His announcement comes after Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath projected Rahul Gandhi as the opposition parties' Prime Ministerial candidate.
Nitish Kumar said on Saturday that he has no objections if the former Congress President is named the opposition PM face in 2024
Nitish Kumar also reiterated that he is neither in the race to become the opposition's PM face, nor does he have any desire to become the Prime Minister.
"I have no desire to become the Prime Minister of India. If Rahul Gandhi becomes the Prime Minister of the country, what is wrong in that? We are just waiting to talk with all the parties and bring them to the opposition camp," Nitish Kumar said while interacting with mediapersons here.
"People are falsely claiming that I am in the race (for PM's post). I only want to see the country running on the path of development. We (opposition parties) have to sit together first, and then make a decision. I have no objection to Rahul Gandhi becoming the Prime Minister of the country," the Chief Minister said.
Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who was accompanying the CM, did not give a direct answer on Rahul Gandhi as the opposition PM face.
"Nitish Kumar has already made it clear that he is making efforts to unite the opposition parties in the country. What will happen after that will be seen as and when that happens," Tejashwi Yadav said.
Earlier, the leaders of both JD-U and RJD had projected Nitish Kumar as the opposition's Prime Ministerial candidate in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, Nitish Kumar has never claimed the same.
IANS with minor edits