Top leaders of at least 15 Opposition parties including the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Trinamool Congress (TMC), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party (SP), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and others attended the grand meeting in Patna led by Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United) JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Nitish Kumar thanked all leaders present as they addressed the media after the conclusion of the meeting.
There were sharp exchanges between Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party during the meeting, sources said. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal sought the grand old party’s stand on the Ordinance issue, while Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge raised the AAP Chief Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar’s allegation that the Congress is not taking a stand because of a deal with the BJP. Ms Kakkar told minutes ahead of the meeting that they have come to know from reliable sources that “there is a consensus between Congress and BJP” which is why the Congress is not opposing the ordinance.
Rahul Gandhi raised the issue of alleged attack on democratic institutions. “It is a fight of ideologies. We may have some differences but have decided to work together with flexibility to protect our ideology. This is a process, and we will keep it going,” he said.
“There was consensus on fighting elections together. The next meeting will happen in a few days. Mallikarjun Kharge will lead the meeting next month. In that meeting, things like who will contest where will be finalised,” Kumar said.
All parties have agreed to contest elections together, but one more meeting will be held next month in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla to finalise details, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish kumar, who was the host of the big Opposition meeting of 16 parties, said soon after the four-hour-long meeting. Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK head MK Stalin were absent from the joint press conference, though Mr Kumar claimed they left because they had to rush to their flights back.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the next meeting would tentatively be held on July 10 or 12, which will deliberate the strategy for all states.
“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,” Mr Kharge said.