Patna, December 19: The JD(U) and BJP on Tuesday took potshots over a poster in Patna which projected Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as the 2024 Prime Ministerial candidate of the opposition parties. With two images of Nitish Kumar, the poster bears a slogan which says: “Agar sach me jeet chahiye toh fir ek nischay chahiye, ek Nitish chahiye (If you want victory, then we need one determination, we need Nitish)."

Reacting to the development, JD(U) MLC Neeraj Kumar claimed that no one knows who put up the poster but the message was loud and clear that Nitish Kumar has given assurance to provide water and electricity in every household in the state. “We don’t know who put up the poster but everyone knows that Nitish Kumar is known for providing water and electricity in every household in the state under his ambitious Saat Nichay Programme,” Kumar said. 'Ek Nischay Aur Ek Nitish Chahiye': Posters Featuring Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Go Viral Ahead of INDIA Bloc Meeting in Delhi (Watch Video).

"As far as the INDIA bloc is concerned, it is an alliance against the BJP and an expansion of the Mahagathbandhan of Bihar. We are not the candidates for Prime Minister or any other post. We have only one objective -- to stop the BJP from coming into power at the Centre again. "Who will lead the opposition alliance will be decided by a joint leadership of the INDIA bloc,” the MLC added.

On the other hand, BJP leaders are setting narratives of division within the opposition alliance and failure of the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar. “A poster was put up in Patna where it was mentioned that 'Jeet Chahiye, Nitish Chahiye'. I want to ask them what kind of victory they want. You were defeated in three states. People refused you there,” said Prabhakar Kumar Mishra, a spokesperson of the BJP's Bihar unit. JDU Poster Depicting Nitish Kumar As PM Face Surfaces on Streets of Bihar Ahead of INDIA Bloc Meeting in Delhi (Watch Video).

"You are becoming victorious in enhancing numbers of murders, loot, and crime against women as the numbers are much higher in Bihar compared to other states. If you want such a victory, the people of Bihar are waiting for you to give an award on this. "You (Nitish Kumar) were firing all guns against those people before 2005, now you are running the government with them,” he said.

Another BJP leader, Arvind Kumar Singh alleged that JD(U) leaders put up posters and present Nitish Kumar as a Prime Ministerial candidate. "West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Benerjee is saying that the Prime Minister candidate will be elected after the Lok Sabha elections. All these are political gimmics that the INDIA leaders are making ahead of its meeting. "I want to say that posters do not make the Prime Minister. The majority is with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A Prime Minister cannot be made by 44 MLAs that Nitish Kumar has in Bihar," he said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 19, 2023 03:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).