Opposition meeting in Patna: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a joint press briefing along with other Opposition leaders, said that despite differences, all the party will find a common ground to fight together. "We may have some differences but have decided to work together with flexibility to protect our ideology," he said.
"Like Mallikarjun Kharge and Nitish Kumar said, we will take this discussion to more depth in the next meeting. The opposition unity is a process, which will move onwards from here," said Gandhi after the opposition meeting in Patna.
Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, Akhilesh Yadav, Sharad Pawar, MK Stalin, D Raja were among the opposition leaders who attended the meeting.
17 opposition parties to fight 2024 Lok Sabha elections unitedly
A total of 17 opposition parties, who participated in the meeting in Patna, on Friday resolved to fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections unitedly to defeat the BJP and work with flexibility by setting aside their differences. The meeting almost lasted for around four hours, during which leaders of 17 parties expressed their views.
Addressing a joint press conference, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the meeting was fruitful adding the opposition has decided to contest Lok Sabha elections together. "Very positive talks were held today and we have decided to contest (Lok Sabha polls) together. Another meeting of all the (opposition) parties will be held to decide the next course of action. In that meeting, almost everything will be finalised. Mallikarjun Kharge will chair that meeting early next month," said Kumar.
"We had a good meeting and several leaders expressed their views during the meeting. 17 parties have decided to work together and contest the Lok Sabha elections unitedly," he told reporters. Kumar, who hosted the first such meeting, said they were working in the national interest and accused the BJP of acting against the national interest as it was trying to change the country's history.
Next meeting in Shimla
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced that the next meeting of opposition leaders would be held in Shimla in Himachal Pradesh next month. "We all are trying to come to a common agenda to fight together. We will next meet on July 10 or 12 in Shimla again," said Kharge. He said that all the parties have decided to prepare a common agenda and will take decisions in the next meeting on how to move forward. "We will have to evolve separate plans for every state and we will work together to dethrone the BJP at the Centre," he said.
Kumar said that the next meeting of the opposition will be chaired by Mallikarjun Kharge next month.
‘We all are united’
West Bengal chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said the first meet was organised in Patna as "Whatever starts from Patna, takes the shape of the public movement". "We all are united and will fight unitedly against BJP," she said and added that "the BJP wants to change history but we'll ensure that history is saved". She also asserted that they were not opposition parties but were also citizens of the country who had patriotism and loved 'Bharat Mata'.
"We will fight together against the political vendetta of the BJP. Let our blood flow, but we will protect the people and the country. Next meeting will be held in Shimla," said Banerjee.
Meanwhile, RJD president Lalu Prasad gave a paternal reprimand to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his refusal to tie the nuptial knot, pointing out the consternation it was causing to his mother Sonia Gandhi. "Rahul Gandhi didn't follow my suggestion earlier. He should have married before. But still it's not too late," said Yadav.
