Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Manoj Jha has said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s visit to Delhi to meet leaders of various opposition parties was an effort to explore “policy-oriented political alternative” and not for a person-oriented alternative to the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

Nitish Kumar, who met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday, has also met Samajwadi Party leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

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He also met Indian National Lok Dal leader Om Prakash Chautala. Jha said Nitish Kumar has made it clear that he has no personal ambition for the post of Prime Minister. He targeted the BJP and said prices of essential commodities were rising.

“Unemployment is on rise and people are suffering due to rising prices, the economy is not in good shape. Whatever data you may try to hide under, you are unable to do it. There should be an policy-oriented alternative to this. Nitish Kumar coming to Delhi and meeting leaders of different parties is a step in that direction,” Jha told ANI.

He said personality-oriented politics has always not been successful and asked who was the face in 1977, when Indira Gandhi was deposed?

“Which face was there in 1989? Who was the face in front of Atalji in 2004? If there is face, there will be person-centred politics. We need to take democracy to collectiveness. As for the face of opposition, it can be anyone,” Jha said.

Nitish Kumar broke the alliance with the BJP in August and formed the government with RJD in Bihar.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao also visited Bihar and met Nitish Kumar, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as part of efforts towards opposition unity.

Jha took dig at the government and said problems caused by its policies cannot be solved by changing names of roads. The government has decided to rename Rajpath as Kartavya Path.

“Race Course Road was renamed Lok Kalyan Marg, but what is happening for public welfare? Now it is Kartavya Path also. What is the duty of a government? Make fun of history? Create a ‘name changing ministry, change the name of every road in India in one go, but do some work,” he said.