J D(U) leader Sharad Yadav at Parliament on Monday. Renuka Puri/File
A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces “no challenger” in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav on Tuesday asserted that “2019 is far away”. He also indicated that he was not interested in joining the Union Cabinet, as was being widely speculated. “I never took any decision keeping in mind power and comfort. Power and position never determined my decisions,” Yadav said when asked whether he would accept an offer to join the Cabinet.
After Nitish formed the government with the BJP in Bihar, there was speculation that Yadav had been offered a ministerial berth in the NDA government. Asked about Nitish’s remark that no one could beat Modi in 2019, Yadav said, “I never react to a statement by anybody,” adding, “2019 is still far away.”
Since July 26, when Nitish broke ties with the grand alliance, Yadav has been meeting Opposition leaders at his residence. Continuing with these interactions on Tuesday, Yadav met AAP leaders Ashutosh and Sanjay Singh and NCP’s Tariq Anwar. Yadav is learnt to have again voiced his displeasure over the developments in Bihar.
The JD(U) leader had earlier met Sitaram Yechury (CPM), D Raja (CPI), Ghulam Nabi Azad (Congress) and Ajit Singh (RLD). Some student and teacher groups from JNU, DU and Jamia also reportedly met Yadav on Tuesday. There was an indication that Yadav would attend a conference of a group of Opposition parties in the national capital next month.
Sources close to Yadav dismissed speculation that he might join the RJD, saying, “Lalu Prasad did not ask him to join the RJD but to step in to save the country and start a campaign from Bihar?”
JD(U) general secretary K C Tyagi said, “Sharadji played a key role in firming up the alliance. It is natural for him to feel sad.” He added, “Sharadji has a difference of opinion with Nitish on aligning with the BJP. I am confident that when the two leaders meet in Patna for the national executive meeting on August 18 and 19, the ice will melt.”
