‘Chandrababu, Nitish will have to decide whether they want to form an alliance with a dictator or not’

A day after the Lok Sabha election results 2024, Shiv Sena (Uttar Pradesh) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar, whose support is crucial for the formation of the next government, will have to decide whether they want to join hands with a dictator or not, in remarks apparently aimed at the BJP leadership, reports news agency PTI.

Speaking to reporters, Raut said his party would not oppose if Congress leader Rahul Gandhi decides to lead the Bharat Block government and become the face for the prime minister’s post.

The India Bloc leaders will meet in New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss the future course of action. According to a PTI report, Raut also said that PM Modi should accept that he has suffered a moral defeat as his party did not get a majority to form the government and the Modi brand is now over.

“Chandrababu and Nitish Kumar will have to decide whether they want to go with a dictator and work in a democratic system. I don’t think they will go with a dictator,” Raut said, according to a PTI report.

“Modiji is not forming the government for the third time,” he claimed, according to a PTI report.

According to the results of Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the BJP has got 240 seats, which is 32 seats short of an absolute majority.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) crossed the half-way mark with the support of key allies N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) – which won 16 and 12 seats in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar respectively – and other alliance partners.

Meanwhile, Sanjay Raut praised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a press conference and conveyed the party’s view on Rahul Gandhi’s chances of becoming the Prime Minister, ANI reported.

Meanwhile, he also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah for not reaching the majority in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

In a press conference, on the question of Rahul Gandhi’s chances of becoming the Prime Minister, the Shiv Sena UBT leader said, “If Rahul Gandhi is ready to accept the leadership, why would we object? He has proved himself as a national leader many times. He is one of the popular leaders. We all want and love him. There is no objection or difference in the alliance.”

He further said, “There has been no difference of opinion within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance over the post of Prime Minister since the elections began. This alliance has always fought to save democracy and the Constitution from the dictatorial rule of the BJP and the people have voted for us. Narendra Modi and Amit Shah should accept their defeat.”

Taking a dig at the BJP, Raut said, “Since yesterday I have been seeing that they are talking of ‘Modi ki sarkar – NDA ki sarkar’, but where is it? They were talking of bringing ‘Modi ki sarkar’. The BJP has not got any majority. They have only 235-240 seats.”

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)