Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the largest possible unity against BJP would be achieved through merger of some parties, alliance of some other parties and electoral tie-up among some parties. (File photo)
A day after becoming JD(U) president, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said he would strive for forging the "largest possible unity" against BJP by bringing Congress, Left and regional parties on one platform before the 2019 general elections.
Mr Kumar said the largest possible unity against BJP would be achieved through merger of some parties, alliance of some other parties and electoral tie-up among some parties.
"Unity among non-BJP parties mean togetherness of ideology and common programmes of governance," he said, adding that BJP will have no chance of returning to power in the 2019 polls after this largest anti-BJP front comes into force.
However, there would be no claimant for the post of Prime Minister in this front and people will judge who has the capacity for that post, he told reporters in Patna.
To a query that he had claimed being capable of becoming the Prime Minister before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Mr Kumar said, "It was in reply to a question. In any case a person cannot make a judgement about himself. It's the people who assess the capability of a person for any post."
Mr Kumar made reference of the success of the 'Grand Alliance' of JD(U), RJD and Congress in Bihar which swept the poll in Bihar defeating the BJP-led NDA.
"Bihar election has kindled a new ray of hope in the country to defeat the nefarious designs of BJP," he said.
Asked if RJD and Samajwadi Party would be part of the united anti-BJP force, the chief minister said, "Lalu Prasad and me are together."
He was, however, a little cryptic on Samajwadi Party.
"We had accepted the SP chief (Mulayam Singh Yadav) as the head of Janata Parivar during efforts of merger of erstwhile Janata Party constituents. Our intentions were clear. It takes two hands to clap," Mr Kumar added.
SP had walked out of the alliance in the last minute of Bihar polls and Mulayam Singh Yadav had also attacked Mr Kumar during the elections, questioning his secular credentials after remaining with BJP for a long time.
Mr Kumar, whose national stature got a boost after the coalition's impressive victory in Bihar, said non-fulfilment of BJP's promises like returning of black money, paying enhanced bonus to farmers and jobs to youths would be the agenda of the proposed national unity of parties against BJP.
Asked about process of merger of JD(U), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) of Ajit Singh and Jharkhand Vikas Party (JVP) of Babu Lal Marandi, Mr Kumar said it was in progress.
The chief minister, who replaced veteran Sharad Yadav to the post of JD(U) chief, made it clear that this effort would not mean neglecting Bihar due to his national role.
"Bihar would continue to be my top most priority," Mr Kumar said. He assumed the post of JD(U) president on the direction of the party after Mr Sharad Yadav declined to become the party chief for the fourth time.
Mr Kumar's selection as new JD(U) president would be ratified by a meeting of party national council in Patna on April 23.