Nitish Kumar can't be PM because the post is not vacant, says Amit Shah

Patna: Home Minister Amit Shah visited Bihar and addressed Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's alleged ambition to become Prime Minister of India.

The BJP leader said the party's former ally cannot be PM because that post is not vacant since the people have decided to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister for the third time. "One person wants to become the Prime Minister and Lalu ji's son wants to be the Chief Minister. I want to tell Lalu-ji - you know Nitish, he can't be the Prime Minister, the post is not available. People of the country have decided that Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term. Once that happens, Nitish Kumar will go back on his promise of handing over the mantle to his deputy Tejashwi Yadav as his dreams of becoming the Prime Minister will be shattered."

He was speaking in Nawada at a BJP rally.

Shah was referring to last year's election when there were rumours about the JD(U) chief handing over the Chief Minister's post to his deputy Tejaswhi Yadav. Nitish Kumar was seen as a hopeful prime ministerial candidate last year.

The party ended its alliance with BJP over differences. The party had a 30-year-long alliance with the BJP and the split in 2022 was the second such development. Once Kumar ended the partnership, BJP lost power and JD(U) reset the government within 24 hours by reviving the alliance with Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal and six other parties.

Both Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav have dismissed these speculations.

At the state assembly last month, Yadav said that both of them are happy where they are. "Neither he (Nitish Kumar) wants to become the PM nor do I want to become Chief Minister."