The Congress claimed on Wednesday that it had taken a “historic step” toward uniting the opposition and challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in state elections this year and the general election in 2024. The announcement came after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Senior Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi met with Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar and his deputy, Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav, in Delhi.
“This is a historic step in bringing the opposition together.” “We will develop the opposition parties’ vision and move forward… we will stand together for the country,” Rahul Gandhi, whose controversial removal from the Lok Sabha last month sparked opposition unity, told reporters.
“As Khargeji said… as Nitishji said…. this is a critical step.” You inquire, “How many opposition parties are required (to defeat the BJP)?” This is a process… as many people as want to join us will do so. We are in an ideological battle for the country… there is an attack on institutions… on the nation itself… and we (the opposition) will fight this,” Rahul Gandhi added.
Earlier, at a joint press conference attended by Kharge and Nitish Kumar, the Congress chief stated, “Today… here… Rahulji, Nitishji, Tejashwiji, and other party leaders and friends… we had a historic meeting and discussed many issues… and have decided that all (opposition) parties must work together to fight the upcoming elections. This is the decision we’ve made today.”
“We will try to bring as many parties together as possible and move forward together,” Nitish Kumar said after the meeting at Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in Delhi.
Lalan Singh, the president of the JD(U), Akhilesh Prasad Singh, the head of the Bihar Congress, and Manoj Jha, the president of the RJD, were also present. In Bihar, the JD(U), RJD, and Congress are allies; this came after the JD(U) split from the BJP, with whom it had won the previous election, and re-joined Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD.
Mallikarjun Kharge has reached out to several opposition leaders in recent weeks in an attempt to reach an agreement to help prevent the BJP from winning a third consecutive Lok Sabha election.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, whose Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is allied with the Congress, and ex-Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, whose Shiv Sena faction is also an ally, have been contacted.
The talks between the Congress and its Bihar allies take place as opposition parties prepare for elections in Karnataka and other key states beginning next month; the southern state will vote on May 10 and will be joined by Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh as the country prepares for the 2024 general election.
