As India’s political landscape heats up ahead of the general elections in 2024, an unprecedented gathering of opposition leaders is set to convene in Patna on June 23.
This meeting, hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is expected to lay the groundwork for a grand alliance to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led government.
The convening has sparked numerous calls from opposition parties for clarity on key issues. Delhi Chief Minister Minister Arvind Kejriwal has led the charge, urging opposition parties to clarify their stance on the Centre’s controversial ordinance concerning administrative control in the national capital. “Congress will have to clear the stand on the ordinance in front of everyone,” Kejriwal stressed, emphasising the need for unity against the ruling party.
However, unity may prove elusive, as existing tensions between opposition parties continue to simmer. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been vociferously criticising the Congress party, further complicating the already fragile state of the opposition unity.
In retaliation, Congress insiders have indicated a counter strategy aimed at both Banerjee and Kejriwal, accusing them of assisting the BJP by contesting elections in different states. “Before they seek support for the ordinance, all these issues should be cleared for the future,” an anonymous source from the Congress revealed, alluding to the duo’s alleged divergence from opposition stances on key issues, such as Article 370 and the Vice Presidency.
Despite these internal frictions, Bihar Congress President Akhilesh Prasad Singh stressed that the ultimate goal should be to unite against the Modi government, a sentiment echoed by other opposition figures. The Congress party, in an apparent move to steer the narrative away from personal politics, has advised opposition parties to focus on public-centric issues, programs, and policies, instead of the ‘Modi Hatao’ (Remove PM Modi) rhetoric.
Nitish Kumar, seen as the chief orchestrator of this opposition unity, has been leading efforts to consolidate anti-BJP sentiment. His strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls involves rallying like-minded opposition parties against the Modi government. Notably, the Samajwadi Party will be the only representative from Uttar Pradesh attending the Patna meeting, with Mayawati and Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhary missing the assembly due to lack of invitation and a family commitment, respectively.
However, the gathering is not without its critics. Mayawati has openly termed the meeting as a superficial joining of hands rather than hearts, questioning the commitment of opposition parties to their objectives in Uttar Pradesh.
On the other hand, Chaudhary, despite his absence, expressed hope for the meeting, describing it as a potential “important milestone in the path of opposition unity.” In a letter shared on Twitter, he urged the assembly to discuss pressing challenges facing the nation and present a comprehensive plan to the public.
The opposition leaders’ meeting promises to be a high-profile event, with key figures such as Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, and others scheduled to attend. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, scheduled to attend the meeting, encapsulated the mood of the event. “They are very mature and experienced people of the country. We should abide by whatever decision is taken and work sincerely to secure victory,” he remarked. Banerjee, speaking outside Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav’s residence, embodied the hopes of many participants: “We will fight together, we will fight like a family,” she said. As India inches closer to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, this meeting will certainly be a litmus test for the viability of a united opposition front against the BJP. Only time will reveal whether this alliance can successfully translate their common cause into electoral success.
