Nitish Kumar reiterates Mamata Banerjee's claim of early Lok Sabha elections

Nalanda, August 29

The Lok Sabha elections are likely to be advanced as the BJP fears that with time it would suffer more loss because of the Opposition unity, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Tuesday, backing a similar claim made by West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

Mamata had on Monday said she was apprehensive that the Lok Sabha elections could be held in December this year, or in January.

Asked about the statement, Nitish told reporters, “I have been saying it for the last seven-eight months that the NDA government at the Centre might go for early Lok Sabha polls, fearing more loss to the BJP because of Opposition unity. Therefore, all parties must come together to defeat the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls. I am once again repeating that I have no desire for myself, I have no personal ambitions. My only wish is to unite the maximum number of parties (opposed to the BJP) before the elections.” Nitish, who recently said that more parties were likely to join Opposition coalition INDIA, declined to divulge any details.

“We have taken initiatives for unity among the Opposition parties. INDIA will further strengthen after the Mumbai meeting on August 31 and September 1,” he said. The

CM was speaking to reporters after inaugurating the new campus of the Nalanda Open University.