NCP supports Nitish move for unity of non-BJP parties

PTI Patna, April 22 Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)today lent support to Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) national president Nitish Kumar’s move for largest possible unity of non-BJP parties but stopped short of committing for him as the PM candidate. “We (NCP) support Nitish Kumar’s ‘Sangh mukt Bharat’ appeal. NCP will be the partner of any such alternative alliance which would be able to defeat BJP and RSS,” NCP national general secretary Tariq Anwar told reporters. NCP would adopt the same formula of supporting the party or alliance which would be able to defeat BJP and RSS in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections which will be held next year, he said. In reply to a query on whether or not Kumar should be the PM candidate in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Anwar said it was ‘premature’ and it would be inappropriate to talk on the issue as Lok Sabha election is still three years away. “We have plenty of time to decide on the issue of leadership. Let Morcha or alliance be formed first and only then we can think on it. No one can impose any leader in a democractic set up. Rather leader will be chosen by consensus,” said Anwar, who was accompanied by party’s state spokesman Anil Kishore Jha. He, however, hailed Kumar as a person who has all the qualities to become PM. “Nitish Kumar is an efficient person who has a vast experience. He has been union minister and chief minister for several times.” Anwar, leader of NCP parliamentary party in Lok Sabha, dodged queries on whether Rahul Gandhi or Kumar would be the better PM candidate but said NCP was in favour of inclusion of Congress in any possible future alliance. “Congress must be included in any possible future alliance. Any secular alliance would have no meaning without Congress which is a national party,” he said. Congress, which is an ally of the ruling Grand Secular Alliance in Bihar had yesterday struck a discordant note terming the exercise to project Kumar as PM candidate as ‘premature’. RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and his son and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav have backed Kumar for the post.