Wrap-up: Nitish is Arjun against Kauravas of country'

Janata Dal (United) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday set the tone for the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh by trying to position himself as a direct challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But launching his offensive in Varanasi, Mr Modi’s constituency, the signal Mr Kumar wanted to send was loud and clear — that he could well be the face of an anti-BJP front in the next general elections.

Uttar Pradesh, often described as the “gateway to Delhi”, was Mr Kumar’s obvious starting point. Mr Kumar, projected as Arjun from Mahabharata in posters that were plastered across the city (with Sharad Yadav as his saarthi, guide), made it clear that he would lead the campaign against the BJP in UP.