Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United) national president Nitish Kumar said here on Monday he would be happy if Pranab Mukherjee was re-elected as President of India for what would be his second consecutive term in office. "As a party president I will try to expand JD (U) in other states, but it does not mean that I will dream of the prime minister's post", he said.
While talking to reporters in Patna on the sidelines of "Lok Samnvad" programme, Nitish Said, "The President represents the entire country and its people and as such the ruling party at the Centre should take an initiative to seek a consensus on selection of candidate for the top constitutional post after holding talks with all opposition parties". "Narendra Modi himself is holding the post of Prime Minister as people of the country found him capable of holding that post", he said. "The person in whom the people will see potential will become Prime Minister".
"I am a leader of a small party and I have no national ambitions", Kumar said. He said, Mr Kumar's silence over the benami properties worth Rs1,500 crore created by Lalu family was equally baffling. While he felt elections should be held with EVMs, he also said that "all apprehensions about the use of EVMs must be cleared".
Nitish Kumar also disagreed with the opposition parties' claims that the EVMs used in the recent assembly polls and MCD elections were tampered with to favour a particular party. I do not wish that time to come again.
Western Wall is part of the West Bank
He said Israel must oppose attempts to establish a Palestinian state and insist on Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem "forever". In an apparent coincidence, Steven Tyler, lead singer of Aerosmith, was visiting at the same time and briefly spoke to Friedman.
While Mr Kumar tacitly praised Mr Modi, he also spoke about Opposition unity ahead of the 2019 general election. Neither the BJP-led NDA nor the opposition parties have finalised their candidates. "If anyone has the proof, they should go to the court", the Bihar chief minister said.
On the presidential polls, Mr Kumar said the BJP needed to form a consensus on the next President.
As President Pranab Mukherjee's term is set to end this July, political heavyweights have started flexing their muscles to place their "choice" in the seat of de jure power as head of the nation.
In a two page letter to Gandhi, he said, "I understand that the CM (Mamata) will be meeting you to discuss strategy for the presidential election".
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