Express News Service
PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar who is himself a product of the JP movement is set to convene a meeting of Opposition leaders at the historic Gandhi Maidan in the state capital from where once revolutionary leader Jayaprakash Narayan had raised his famous slogan, ‘Sampoorn Kranti’ (Total Revolution) on June 5, 1974.
Although the date for the rally of Opposition parties has not been decided, it is expected that it would be held in the third week of this month. The sources attributed the reason for extending the date of the meeting of Opposition parties to results of just concluded Karnataka assembly polls, which were declared on May 13.
Earlier, the meeting was to be held on May-16-17. Earlier when Nitish had met his West Bengal counterpart and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata to hold deliberations on Opposition unity ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha election, she had advised Bihar CM and JD (U) chieft to hold a meeting of all the Opposition leaders in Patna. Mamata had said that future courses of action could be decided if a panel of Opposition leaders was held in Bihar.
Going one step further, Nitish is likely to rally the Opposition parties in the state capital to kickstart a campaign against ruling BJP at the centre in view of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. In addition to meeting Mamata, Nitish has already met NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thakre, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Samajwadi Party supremo and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren.
Before that, he had met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI general secretary D Raja in New Delhi in April this year.
On April 11, Nitish called on NCP chief Sharad Pawar and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thakre in Mumbai.
Nitish had hinted at Sharad leading the Opposition unity campaign. Leaders of 12 political parties are expected to attend the meeting. In the Patna conclave, Opposition leaders are expected to hold talks on the probable formula to be set for ticket distribution arrangement for the parliamentary election.
When asked about Nitish’s efforts for Opposition unity, JD(U) chief Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh said, “Nitish ji is doing everything that is required. He is meeting leaders of Opposition parties and holding discussions with them over the issue and most importantly the response from those leaders are very positive.”
Although Nitish has been successful in persuading a number of Opposition leaders, including those from Congress and Left parties to agree to come to the state capital for deliberations, the Opposition’s most challenging task is expected to be identifying a joint candidate to be pitted against a BJP candidate in 2024 Lok Sabha election so that anti-BJP votes do not get divided.
Apart from RJD which is set to join the anti-BJP front, JMM, AAP, DMK and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) are also likely to join it. Meanwhile, newly appointed Bihar BJP chief Samrat Choudhary dared Opposition parties to declare Bihar CM Nitish Kumar as PM candidate in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“Though we know that no leader from the Opposition camp can match PM Narendra Modi, we dare Opposition leaders to declare Nitish as their PM candidate,” he told the media. BJP state president, however, reiterated that as of now there is no vacancy for the PM’s post.
PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar who is himself a product of the JP movement is set to convene a meeting of Opposition leaders at the historic Gandhi Maidan in the state capital from where once revolutionary leader Jayaprakash Narayan had raised his famous slogan, ‘Sampoorn Kranti’ (Total Revolution) on June 5, 1974.
Although the date for the rally of Opposition parties has not been decided, it is expected that it would be held in the third week of this month. The sources attributed the reason for extending the date of the meeting of Opposition parties to results of just concluded Karnataka assembly polls, which were declared on May 13.
Earlier, the meeting was to be held on May-16-17. Earlier when Nitish had met his West Bengal counterpart and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata to hold deliberations on Opposition unity ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha election, she had advised Bihar CM and JD (U) chieft to hold a meeting of all the Opposition leaders in Patna. Mamata had said that future courses of action could be decided if a panel of Opposition leaders was held in Bihar.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Going one step further, Nitish is likely to rally the Opposition parties in the state capital to kickstart a campaign against ruling BJP at the centre in view of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. In addition to meeting Mamata, Nitish has already met NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thakre, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Samajwadi Party supremo and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren.
Before that, he had met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI general secretary D Raja in New Delhi in April this year.
On April 11, Nitish called on NCP chief Sharad Pawar and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thakre in Mumbai.
Nitish had hinted at Sharad leading the Opposition unity campaign. Leaders of 12 political parties are expected to attend the meeting. In the Patna conclave, Opposition leaders are expected to hold talks on the probable formula to be set for ticket distribution arrangement for the parliamentary election.
When asked about Nitish’s efforts for Opposition unity, JD(U) chief Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh said, “Nitish ji is doing everything that is required. He is meeting leaders of Opposition parties and holding discussions with them over the issue and most importantly the response from those leaders are very positive.”
Although Nitish has been successful in persuading a number of Opposition leaders, including those from Congress and Left parties to agree to come to the state capital for deliberations, the Opposition’s most challenging task is expected to be identifying a joint candidate to be pitted against a BJP candidate in 2024 Lok Sabha election so that anti-BJP votes do not get divided.
Apart from RJD which is set to join the anti-BJP front, JMM, AAP, DMK and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) are also likely to join it. Meanwhile, newly appointed Bihar BJP chief Samrat Choudhary dared Opposition parties to declare Bihar CM Nitish Kumar as PM candidate in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“Though we know that no leader from the Opposition camp can match PM Narendra Modi, we dare Opposition leaders to declare Nitish as their PM candidate,” he told the media. BJP state president, however, reiterated that as of now there is no vacancy for the PM’s post.
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