"Opposition parties have single goal to defeat BJP": Tamil Nadu CM Stalin

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], June 23 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President, MK Stalin, said all like-minded Opposition parties need to come together with a single-pointed goal to defeat the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in next year's Lok Sabha elections.

The Tamil Nadu CM was among the Opposition leaders, who came together in Patna on Friday for the mega meeting to strategise on a roadmap to defeat the BJP in the next general elections.

Speaking to reporters on his return to Chennai on Friday evening, Stalin said it was still early days and a consensus PM candidate did not figure in the meeting convened by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

"A consultative meeting of several Opposition parties was held in Bihar today to save our democracy. All Opposition parties have a common goal, which is to ensure the BJP's defeat in the next general elections. However, we didn't hold discussions on a consensus PM candidate today," Stalin said.

At the culmination of the Opposition meeting, Nitish Kumar said all Opposition parties resolved to fight the next Lok elections together.

Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge informed that the process to create a roadmap for an anti-BJP national front will be carried forward at the next meeting of the Opposition parties in Shimla in Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh, next month.

"We will meet again in July in Shimla to carry forward the process of moving ahead together while working in our respective states to fight BJP in 2024," Kharge said at a joint press conference.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, MP Sanjay Raut, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah attended the meeting.