The opposition parties convened a highly anticipated meeting in Patna on Friday to discuss opposition unity, and they reached a unanimous agreement on the plan for 2024. It was decided that all parties would join forces and contest the elections together with the goal of ousting the BJP from power at the centre. The meeting began at the official residence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Anne Marg in Patna.
दलों का नहीं, भारतीय दिलों का महागठबंधन।#2024_में_भाजपा_मुक्त_देश#महागठबंधन#नीतीश_कुमार#vipakshiekta pic.twitter.com/yofhtZaDsU
— Janata Dal (United) (@Jduonline) June 23, 2023
During the meeting, which lasted for more than three hours, it was decided that a meeting of the opposition would be held in Shimla from July 10 to 12 next month to further expand this initiative of opposition unity. The purpose of this meeting is to advance the cause of opposition unity. At the same time, it will be decided where which party has to go ahead.
However, the request made by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to prioritize the discussion of the central government’s ordinance concerning Delhi was not fulfilled in the general meeting. Rahul Gandhi also did not comment on this. Its effect also showed that Arvind Kejriwal left for Delhi even before the joint press conference of the leaders of the opposition.
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that for the people who want to change history, a new history has started from Patna today. The National President of Congress being positive said that work will have to be done in different ways in all the states. In this sequence, he also took the names of UP, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Maharashtra etc. He said that if we fight unitedly, we will oust the BJP from power at the Center in 2024.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar told about the discussion held in the general meeting that it has been agreed to walk together. Everyone will fight the elections together. It will take a final shape in the meeting to be held in Shimla next month. It will be decided who will fight from where. It is in the interest of the country. Those who are in power at the Center are not working in the interest of the country. It was decided that if there is a challenge in any state, then everyone will work together.
Chief Ministers like Mamata Banerjee, Hemant Soren, MK Stalin, Arvind Kejriwal, and Bhagwant Mann are represented by Trinamool Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, DMK, and Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) respectively at the gathering. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his party president Mallikarjun Kharge were also present.
Leaders of the Samajwadi Party, NCP, PDP, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, National Conference (J&K), and Shiv Sena (UBT) were present in the meeting. The left faction is represented by CPM, CPI, and CPI(ML). Besides senior leaders, former Chief Ministers Akhilesh Singh Yadav, Farooq Abdullah, Sharad Pawar, Mehbooba Mufti, and Uddhav Thackeray were also present in the meeting.