Are we witnessing a war of alliances―the NDA held a meeting on the same day as the opposition parties?
There is in fact no comparison between the NDA and our alliance. This NDA is just a pale shadow of what the coalition was under Atal Bihari Vajpayee. They are flaunting certain numbers. But the exercise only betrays the fear of the BJP, the nervousness of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Patna meeting and now Bengaluru.
The opposition grouping has gained strength after Patna, with the number of parties increasing from 16 to 26.
In Patna, we had invited only those parties who were in agreement on the one-on-one contest against the BJP and in going into the Lok Sabha elections with a common agenda and a common programme. We did not invite parties like the BJD (Biju Janata Dal), the BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi), the YSR Congress or the Akali Dal since there was no agreement with those parties on having a common agenda. The Nitish Kumar formula for 2024 is to ensure that only one candidate from the opposition ranks takes on the BJP in as many seats as we can. And we are making progress on that front. After Patna, some more parties, especially from Kerala, had evinced interest in becoming a part of the exercise.
How do you view the renewed efforts to consolidate the NDA?
If you look at the constituents, it becomes clear that it lacks in substance. If we have Mamata Banerjee, they have Suvendu Adhikari, who broke away from the Trinamool. If we have Pawar, they have Ajit Pawar. If we have Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad, they have Jitan Ram Manjhi and Upendra Khushwaha. From Uttar Pradesh, there are around five parties that are merely offshoots of the BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party).
Also, Modi had not long ago said he was ready to take on the opposition singlehandedly. Why is he now looking for comfort in numbers?
The Bengaluru meeting took place in the shadow of the split in the NCP in Maharashtra.
What happened in Maharashtra is not a split in the NCP but a dacoity of MLAs. The stature of Sharad Pawar remains untouched. He is one of the seniormost leaders in the country and has maximum political experience. That is not going to change because of some MLAs leaving him. The people are with him. What actually triggered the developments in Maharashtra are a series of surveys showing that the opposition alliance was gaining in a big way. The people have made up their minds, and that will not change.
Are there any fears that the BJP could try a similar machination in Bihar?
There is no such fear in Bihar. We are confident that the BJP will not even be able to set the ball rolling in Bihar in this direction.
Would local rivalries not pose a difficulty in the one-to-one contest plan? Can it happen in Delhi or West Bengal?
The top leaders of all the parties have declared their intent to come together over and above the local issues. They are aware of the sacrifices that will have to be made. In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee is quite capable of defeating the BJP. I am sure she will get the required support from the Congress. I am confident that the leaders will work a way out.