Union Minister Anurag Thakur said on Saturday that opposition parties should tell the country who will be their leader and that their "thagbandhan," which is an alliance of the corrupt, will "collapse like a pack of cards." This was a new attack on the unity effort.
Thakur stated that several leaders of 15 opposition parties met in Patna on Friday while addressing a rally in Panipat, Haryana. The Minister for Information and Broadcasting claimed that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who had hosted the meeting, was not accepted as convener by the parties, stating, "Though they came together, their hearts did not meet."
He claimed that they have neither a leader nor a policy, and that their intentions are also questionable.
“Yesterday's meeting was nothing more than a joke. Ahead of the 2024 polls, this 'natak mandli' (drama company) has come together and 'rang manch' (stage) is being decorated and characters are being decided. A drama will play out. Everybody will speak of support. People will laugh at them as they did the last time and will make these corrupt people sit at home,” said Thakur.
The crucial meeting on Friday was attended by over 32 leaders from more than a dozen political parties. At the meeting, opposition parties agreed to work together to defeat the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
Thakur stated that the opposition parties did not respond regarding their alliance's leader.
As he lashed out at the former Congress president, Thakur said, "Only a marriage proposal of Rahul Gandhi was passed (in the meeting) because Mummy ji is annoyed."
He stated that Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge ought to announce who will be their leader.
Thakur requested that the opposition party leaders clarify their position regarding Article 370.
“Will they bring Article 370 again? Will they end the GST? Can they give an honest government?” he asked.
He also said, "(AAP chief Arvind) Kejriwal left them," referring to the apparent divisions that exist within the opposition unity.
Thakur recorded the accomplishments of the Narendra Modi government in the beyond nine years and communicated certainty that individuals will again choose a BJP government at the Middle in the following Lok Sabha polls.
In addition, he criticised RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav for his role in the fodder scam and criticised TMC leader Mamata Banerjee for claiming that money was being demanded in order to provide jobs in West Bengal.
“Nitish Kumar has set new records. A Rs 1,750-crore bridge, which was being constructed for 10-12 years, collapsed twice,” said Thakur.
"This opposition unity will also collapse like a pack of cards,” he said.
He stated that the people must select either an honest leader who has served the country or this "mandli (team) of corrupt people who are forging a 'thagbandhan'."
He claimed that the Modi administration was free of corruption.
Thakur criticized the previous UPA administration, saying, "There was a time when the media highlighted scams after every two months like AgustaWestland chopper scam, Commonwealth Games scam, 2G scam."
He asserted, "Sometimes, it was 'jija ji ka ghotala' in Haryana."
Thakur praised the Modi government and stated that the country's global prestige increased under Prime Minister Modi's leadership.
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