Cong, AAP spar on first Opposition unity meet in Patna, next confab in cooler climes of Shimla

Opposition parties leaders have agreed to contest the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections together, but will hold one more meeting in July in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla to finalise the details, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, who was the host of Opposition meeting of 17 parties, said.

After the four-hour-long meeting, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, “We have to fight the elections together in 2024. We have decided to throw out the BJP and are confident of forming the next government.”

“We will meet again in July in Shimla to prepare an agenda on how to move ahead together while working in our respective states to fight BJP in 2024,” the Congress president added.

Agenda of Opposition party July meeting

Kharge said the next meeting of opposition would tentatively be held on July 10 or 12, which will deliberate the strategy for all states.

Meanwhile, Kumar said details including seat sharing and party-wise split will be finalised in the Shimla meeting.

During the meeting, the Bihar CM alleged, “We [opposition leaders] have come together in national interest; those in power at Centre are against national interest,” Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said after opposition meet in Patna.”

Tussle between AAP and Congress

Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) got into a tussle with Congress after the grand old party refused to oppose Centre’s “black ordinance” that effectively gives the lieutenant governor control over administrative services in Delhi.

AAP said Congress’ “silence raises suspicions about its real intentions.”

“It’s high time that Congress decides whether it stands with the people of Delhi or the Modi government. Today, during the like-minded party meeting in Patna, many parties urged the Congress to publicly denounce the Black Ordinance. However, the Congress refused to do so,” AAP said in a statement.

“In personal discussions, senior Congress leaders have hinted that their party might informally or formally abstain from voting on it in the Rajya Sabha. The Congress’ abstention from voting on this issue will help the BJP immensely in furthering its attack on Indian democracy,” it added.

AAP further said a total of 15 parties attended the like-minded party meeting in Patna, out of which 12 have representation in the Rajya Sabha. “Except for the Indian National Congress, all other 11 parties, which have representation in the Rajya Sabha, have clearly expressed their stand against the Black Ordinance and announced that they would oppose it in the Rajya Sabha,” the Kejriwal-led party said.

“The Congress, a national party that takes a stand on almost all issues, has yet to make its position on the Black Ordinance public. Congress’ silence raises suspicions about its real intentions,” AAP said.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal was absent from the joint press conference held after the opposition parties’ meeting. Kumar claimed that Kejriwal and Tamil Nadu CM and DMK head MK Stalin claimed they left because they had to rush to their flights back.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said India’s foundation was under attack. He said the Opposition would work together with flexibility and safeguard the common ideological values.

‘Don’t call us Opposition’

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress head Mamata Banerjee, at the press conference after the meeting, said, “What starts in Patna turns into a mass movement.” She said, “Don’t call us Opposition. We are also the citizen of the country.”

She went on to say that if “BJP won the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, there would be no election in the country”.

Banerjee further said, “The opposition parties had three points of focus — first we are untied, second, to fight together, third the Shimla meeting,” adding that the opposition would counter BJP’s agenda together.

Patna meeting a ‘good start’

Former chief minister of Maharashtra said, “I don’t consider myself as Opposition. However, we’ll all oppose anyone who would attack the democratic values of the country and try to establish a dictatorship.”

He further said the Patna meeting was a good start, adding he believed that everything goes well when it begins well.

‘Lord Hanuman was with the Opposition in Karnataka’

Addressing a press conference after the Opposition meeting, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav said, “Lord Hanuman thrashed BJP with his mace in Karnataka, made Rahul win. He said lord Hanuman was with the Opposition. It is certain that BJP will face massive defeat in the upcoming polls.”

‘Not fight for power’

Former CM of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah said, “From Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari, every like-minded party participated in the meeting. It is not the fight for power but for values and ideology. It was nice to hear the prime minister speaking about democracy in the White House. However, it’s regrettable that what could have been the reason that there was no democracy in Jammu and Kashmir?”

With inputs from agencies

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