Efforts to cement Opposition unity gathered pace on Thursday with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar meeting Left veterans Sitaram Yechury and D Raja even as the BJP took a dig at the JDU leader’s outreach saying “the PM post for 2024 is not vacant”.
In a related development, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Thursday evening met Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and pledged to take forward opposition unity efforts and bring other parties together which are not part of the process. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was also be present at the meeting held at Kharge’s residence. Welcoming Pawar, Kharge said “we are happy that he has come here directly from Mumbai and guided us.”
“Yesterday we along with Rahul ji had talks with Nitish ji and Tejashwi ji that all parties should unite to save the country, democracy and protect the Constitution, besides ensuring freedom of speech and expression, providing employment to youth and checking inflation and misuse of autonomous bodies.“We have decided to unite together and fight and we will talk to all the parties one after the other. Yesterday we met two parties and today Pawar sahib has come and we have decided that we will meet everyone, talk to them and move forward unitedly,” Kharge told reporters. “I want that we should all work together in the nation’s interest and this is what Pawar sahib wants and said that all the like-minded parties should unite,” the Congress chief also said. Pawar said all the parties have the same thinking, “but, mere thinking will not help and efforts should be made for unity”.
“There are some political parties who have similar ideologies, efforts should be made to bring them together and Kharge is the leader of opposition and he has made this effort which will benefit everyone. This is a beginning. After this, other opposition parties such as Mamata Banerjee’s TMC or Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP or other parties with whom talks have not taken place, efforts should be made to bring them together under this process for unity,” he said after the meeting. Rahul Gandhi also said, “What Kharge ji and Pawar ji have said that this process of uniting the opposition has started. This is a beginning and all parties are committed towards this process.” Kharge later tweeted a picture with Pawar and Rahul Gandhi. “Stronger, together! We stand united for a better, brighter and an equal future for our people. Along with Shri Rahul Gandhi ji met NCP President, Shri Sharad Pawar ji and had a discussion on the future course of action,” Kharge also tweeted. Earlier during the day, Nitish left the national capital after meeting with several opposition leaders including Aam Aadmi Party’s national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. After his meeting with Kumar, CPI-M general secretary Yechury said seat adjustments will be made at the state level and indicated that a third front was a possibility. “Efforts for opposition unity have picked up the pace. An opposition coalition will be formed and seat adjustments will be done at the state level,” the CPI(M) general secretary said. Even as the Bihar chief minister stepped up efforts to forge opposition unity and is set to meet some more parties including the BRS and Samajwadi Party, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav evaded a direct reply on whether his party would join an opposition alliance to take on the BJP but said people of the country want change of power. Responding to reporters query in Indore on whether his party would join the opposition alliance, Yadav said, “This is a big question. What name are you giving to it (the grand alliance)? But I know one thing that people of Uttar Pradesh will unseat the BJP.”
