This was after JD(U) and Congress ally RJD had confirmed the participation of its chief Lalu Prasad and Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav within the assembly.

JD(U) chief nationwide spokesperson KC Tyagi instructed The Indian Express: “Though it is the call of INDIA bloc constituents to decide whether the alliance should go with a PM face or not, we will reiterate that Nitish Kumar has all the qualities a PM should have. Nitish Kumar’s brand of development and socialist politics will dominate the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.”

Tyagi additionally highlighted the caste angle, saying Nitish was the one chief within the INDIA bloc who had proven the braveness to carry a caste survey and, on the premise of it, to extend the quota cap from 50% to 65%. “While some states conducted similar surveys before, none dared release the report because of political reasons… The INDIA bloc should revisit its politics, with Nitish Kumar playing a key role in it,” mentioned Tyagi.

Days in the past, the JD(U)’s Bheem Sansad assembly in Patna noticed Nitish being greeted with slogans of “Desh ka PM kaisa ho, Nitish Kumar jaisa ho (The country’s PM should be like Nitish Kumar)”.

On Monday, the Trinamool Congress had put ahead its supremo Mamata Banerjee’s declare to steer the INDIA bloc, saying an individual who had overwhelmed the BJP “multiple times” and had lengthy administrative expertise needs to be picked.

Tyagi additionally lashed out on the Congress over “never taking allies into confidence”, when requested about its loss in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. “It also turned down our proposal to hold joint rallies in poll-bound states. This loss shows that the Congress will have to rethink its politics if it wants the INDIA bloc to succeed.”

Asked if regional events would play an even bigger function within the Lok Sabha elections, the JD(U) chief mentioned: “Don’t call us regional parties. We are parties of sub-nationalism and socialism. The BJP has become a party of North India alone. The Samajwadi Party and RLD in UP, the RJD-JD(U) in Bihar, the TMC in West Bengal and the DMK in Tamil Nadu are still very strong forces.”

On Nitish plans to skip the INDIA bloc assembly, JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar mentioned: “He has not been keeping well, but he is recovering. The CM presided over today’s Cabinet meeting as well and gave key suggestions on holding a meeting to commemorate socialist icon and former CM Karpoori Thakur.”