Are they ready to take on PM Modi?

As many as 32 leaders from myriad Opposition events met in Patna at present (23 June) to hammer out a method to tackle the ruling Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP) within the upcoming 2024 normal elections. After the almost four-hour-long huddle, West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee introduced that each one the events who attended the assembly will battle the Lok Sabha elections unitedly.

In a joint press convention following the meet, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge mentioned that the Opposition leaders will meet once more someday subsequent month in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla to additional focus on the formation of the anti-BJP entrance.

“We’ve got determined to arrange a standard agenda and can take choices within the subsequent assembly on find out how to transfer ahead,” he mentioned, as per The Hindu. “We must evolve separate plans for each state and we’ll work collectively to dethrone the BJP on the Centre.”

Which leaders had been current on the Opposition meet and what did they are saying concerning the gathering? How did the BJP react? Let’s take a better look.

15 events attend joint Opposition meet

Round 15 Opposition events, together with the Congress and Aam Aadmi Occasion (AAP), met at Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s residence in Patna for the assembly.

As per Indian Specific, apart from Kharge, the TMC supremo and Janata Dal (United)’s Nitish, the opposite leaders current on the conclave included: Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin and TR Baalu from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK); Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal; Nationalist Congress Occasion (NCP) leaders Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule and Praful Patel; Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Raghav Chaddha and Sanjay Singh from the AAP; Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sanjay Jha and Tejashwi Yadav; Jharkhand chief minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Hemant Soren; Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut from Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray); TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee, Derek O’Brien and Firhad Hakim; Samajwadi Occasion (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, CPIM chief Sitaram Yechury; Jammu & Kashmir Nationwide Convention (JKNC) chief Omar Abdullah; Peoples Democratic Occasion’s Mehbooba Mufti (PDP); D Raja from CPI; Dipankar Bhattacharya from the CPIML; and JDU’s Lalan Singh.

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) president Jayant Chaudhary skipped the conclave saying he had a “pre-decided household programme”.

What did Opposition leaders say?

Based on News18 sources, there have been no discussions about seat sharing between the events. Nonetheless, Nitish Kumar instructed reporters on the joint press convention that the main points relating to “seat sharing and party-wise cut up can be finalised within the Shimla assembly”, reported NDTV.

Addressing the joint presser, Rahul Gandhi, who just lately returned from the US, mentioned that regardless of the distinction between the events, they may work to “defend our ideology”.

“It’s a battle of ideologies. We might have some variations however have determined to work along with flexibility to guard our ideology. It is a course of, and we’ll hold it going,” the previous Congress MP added.

Referring to the 1974 Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) motion in Bihar, the West Bengal chief minister mentioned: “What begins from Patna turns into a jan andolan (public motion)”.

“Three issues have been resolved — We’re united, we’ll battle unitedly, and our battle shouldn’t be branded because the Opposition’s battle however slightly a battle towards BJP’s dictatorship and their black legal guidelines and battle their political vendetta”, NDTV quoted her as saying.

Speaking to the reporters, Banerjee warned: “If this dictatorial authorities returns this time, there can be no elections in future”.

Hitting out on the BJP, she added, “We’re united, we’ll battle unitedly. Don’t name us the Opposition, we’re patriotic and we love ‘Bharat Mata‘. We additionally really feel ache when Manipur burns. The BJP is working a authorities dictatorially”.

“Let our blood move, if want be. However we’ll defend our folks…BJP desires historical past to be modified, however historical past can be saved from Bihar,” the TMC chief was quoted as saying by NDTV.

PDP’s Mufti mentioned the issues that occurred in Jammu and Kashmir are actually spreading to the remainder of India. “The way in which persons are being handled, particularly the minorities, we don’t need Gandhi’s nation to show into Godse’s,” the previous J&Ok chief minister mentioned, as per NDTV.

Calling BJP’s nine-year rule on the Centre “disastrous for the nation”, CPI’s D Raja mentioned: “We’ve got to reclaim the Republic. We’re of the robust view that BJP must be defeated”.

Uddhav mentioned that the Opposition events have determined to defend India towards anybody who “tries to assault the democratic values”, as per NDTV.

AAP’s situation

The AAP has thrown a googly to the Congress and mentioned it might be “very tough” for it to be part of an alliance till the Grand Previous Occasion denounces the Centre’s companies ordinance in Delhi.

After the assembly, the AAP launched a press release calling for Congress’ assist towards the Ordinance.

“Congress’ hesitation and refusal to behave as a group participant, particularly on a problem as essential as this one, would make it very tough for the AAP to be part of any alliance that features Congress. Till the Congress publicly denounces the Black Ordinance and declares that each one 31 of its RS MPs will oppose the ordinance within the Rajya Sabha, it will likely be tough for AAP to take part in future conferences of like-minded events the place the Congress is a participant,” Indian Specific cited the AAP assertion as saying.

Notably, Kejriwal was not current on the joint press convention of the Opposition leaders.

Earlier than the assembly, Kharge had instructed mediapersons that the Congress will take a name on supporting AAP towards the Centre’s ordinance forward of the following Parliament session. “All of us wish to battle collectively towards BJP and our agenda is to take away the BJP authorities”.

BJP’s assault

The BJP skilled its weapons on the Opposition meet, with Union house minister Amit Shah calling it a “picture session”.

“Right now, a photograph session is underway in Patna. All opposition leaders are gathering in a single place. They wish to ship the message that they may problem the NDA, BJP and PM (Narendra) Modi. I wish to inform them that be part of as many arms as you need, your unity isn’t going to be a risk,” the BJP chief mentioned at a public rally in Jammu, as per Indian Specific.

“If you happen to get united, come earlier than the voters, it’s already determined that Modi will turn into prime minister in 2024 by successful greater than 300 seats,” the house minister introduced.

BJP MP Sushil Modi known as the Opposition gathering in Patna a “gathbandhan (coalition) of thugs.”

“Sitting collectively for tea doesn’t imply that the opposition is united,” Modi mentioned. “It is a ‘Gathbandhan of Thugs’. They’re making ready to idiot the nation. They don’t have any precept or coverage and all are concerned in corruption,” he alleged.

Taking a dig on the JDU and different Opposition events, Union minister Smriti Irani mentioned that it’s “ironic” that among the leaders who noticed the “homicide of democracy” in the course of the Emergency are actually coming along with the Congress in Patna. “Energy has moved from the palace to the folks. That’s why individuals who take pleasure of their political legacy now need to go to these whom that they had put behind bars in the course of the Emergency,” she mentioned, as per Indian Specific.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis alleged the Opposition huddle was to not overthrow the Narendra Modi authorities on the Centre however to “save their very own political dynasties”.

“They’ve mentioned the assembly is for ‘Modi Hatao’ (take away Modi), however they’re working to guard their dynasties. Uddhav Thackeray used to criticise us for becoming a member of arms with (PDP chief) Mehbooba Mufti in Kashmir. Now he’s sitting subsequent to Mehbooba Mufti and speaking about forming an alliance,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.

Terming the Opposition’s 2019 try to hitch forces towards the BJP as “futile”, he claimed folks will give a “greater mandate” to the BJP in 2024.

With inputs from companies

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