Opposition leaders strategise to fight BJP together in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, to hold next meeting in Shimla

New Delhi [India], June 24 : Seeking to put up a common front to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, senior leaders from opposition parties met in Patna on Friday to deliberate a roadmap but fissures emerged as Aam Aadmi Party said that Congress' refusal to act as a "team player" on the Delhi ordinance issue, "would make it very difficult" for it be a part of any alliance that includes the party.

The mega event was attended by Chief Ministers of several opposition-ruled states including Mamata Banerjee and some other prominent leaders from parties opposed to the BJP.

Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar, who had convened the meeting of opposition leaders, said at the joint press conference that opposition parties decided to fight the elections together.

"It was a good meeting where it has been decided to fight the elections together. Another meeting will be held soon," Kumar said.

BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani took a swipe at the Opposition meeting in Patna, saying that Congress has admitted that they cannot defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi alone.

"I especially thank Congress for publicly announcing that they cannot alone defeat PM Modi and that they need the support of others to do so," she said.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the next meeting of like-minded parties will be held in Shimla next month.

"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," Kharge said.

Party leader Rahul Gandhi said the foundation of India is being attacked and noted that opposition parties are determined to work together.

"BJP is attacking national institutions as well as the voice of the people. This is a fight of ideology in which we all stand together. We all may have some differences, but we are determined to work together and defend our ideology. This is a process of opposition unity, which is going to go ahead," he said.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, who was among 30 leaders present at the meeting, hit out at the Central government asking why the democracy which was discussed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States does not "reach" Jammu and Kashmir.

"We have met to save the country from devastation and to bring democracy back. Mehbooba Mufti and I belong to that part of the country where democracy is murdered...Yesterday in America there were discussions about democracy in the White House...why this democracy doesn't reach Jammu and Kashmir?" he asked.

Omar Abdullah further said that seventeen parties from Kashmir to Kanyakumari have come together "not for power, but for principles".

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also slammed the Centre.

"The meeting comes as a great success for Nitish Kumar as we have all gathered here. Omar Sahab (Omar Abdullah, National Conference leader) and I have come from Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir has been the target of (the Centre's) attacks on the constitution, democracy and secularism. It started with us but is now spreading throughout the country," she said

"The idea of India is one that is based on the thoughts of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. But the way minorities are being treated, the way people are being treated, and the way democracy is being undermined, prompted us to come here... We can say with full conviction that few states stand for the idea of India like Jammu and Kashmir does. We will try to ensure that the country of Gandhi doesn't turn into one of Godse," she added.

Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee referred to the significance of Patna during the JP movement and said that all the Opposition parties will unitedly fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

"We are united, we will fight unitedly... history started from here (Patna), BJP wants that history changed. And we want history should be saved from Bihar. Our objective is to speak against this fascist government..,Don't call us opposition. We are also patriotic.... we also say Bharat Mata...," she said.

"....If Manipur burns, we feel pain....BJP's atrocity, making Rajbhavan as an alternative government. Anyone who dissents, faces ED, CBI..."

She alleged that the BJP misuses central agencies like ED and CBI to suppress opposition parties.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann attended the mega opposition meeting convened by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. However, AAP leaders were not present at the joint press conference held at the conclusion of the meeting.

The party said in its statement that until the Congress publicly denounces the "black ordinance" and declares that all 31 of its RS MPs will oppose the ordinance in the Rajya Sabha, it will be difficult for AAP to participate in future meetings of like-minded parties where the Congress is a participant.

"A total of 15 parties are attending 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 party said.

AAP's statement said that during the meeting of like-minded parties in Patna, many parties urged the Congress to publicly denounce the ordinance but the "Congress refused to do so".

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is known for his witty remarks, suggested to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to get married with his remarks evoking smiles from the leaders present.

"You (Rahul Gandhi) did not pay heed to our advice to get married. You should have got married. Time has still not passed, get married and we will join the procession (shadi kariye aur hum log baraati chale)," Yadav said.

Reacting to this Rahul Gandhi said," If you say so, it will happen (aaapne kehdia toh hojaega).

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI's D Raja and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray were among leaders who attended the meeting.