From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: Notwithstanding repeatedly denying ambitions to be the prime minister by uniting opposition parties to oust Narendra Modi from power, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is contemplating to enter the Lok Sabha from Phulpur in the Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh, as the first step to enter the fray to head the opposition winning a majority.
He comes from the dominant Kurmi Other backward class (OBC) community which dominates Phulpur, which was won last time by the BJP’s Kesri Devi Patel.
While Nitish as the president of the Janata Dal(U) this week renovation of the party’s state office in Lucknow, right behind the state secretariat, while the Bihar JD(U) leaders have started frequenting Phulpur.
Though the JD(U) has an insignificant presence in Uttar Pradesh, Nitish is banking on the support from the local OBCs.
After a 2-day conclave of the opposition parties in Bengaluru, Nitish has called a meeting of his party office-bearers on July 15 to discuss the strategy for the Lok Sabha polls. He will first concentrate on the seats in Bihar before making an entry in Phulpur.
