First Mamata, then Akhilesh, Nitish-Tejashwi’s back-to-back meetings to unite Oppn ahead of 2024 | 10 Points

April 24, 2023

Image Source : PTI Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav meet Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav in a bid to unite the Opposition ahead of 2024 elections.

Oppn vs BJP in Lok Sabha 2024: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, along with his deputy Tejashwi Yadav on Monday met West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Howrah and later called on Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow, in a bid to unite the opposition ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to defeat the BJP. In Lucknow, Nitish Kumar said that efforts are on to forge unity among opposition parties to remove “anti-people BJP” in Lok Sabha polls next year. Earlier during the day, Mamata Banerjee said that she wanted BJP to become zero and have no personal ego. Nitish Kumar, in his efforts to unite the opposition, earlier this month had met Congress top leadership in Delhi including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and also AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.

I am not looking for any position for myself. My endeavour is to work for the country’s good, said Nitish Kumar.

They (BJP) want to change the history of India. They must know the history. They are not doing any work but just publicising. We are going to mobilise most of the opposition parties in the coalition and fight the upcoming elections, Nitish Kumar said.

Akhilesh Yadav raised the issue of price rise and said there was a need to remove the BJP government without any delay.

BJP is continuously trying to finish the democratic values of the country. We all are here with the people of India to save the country from unemployment, inflation, and poverty. We want BJP government to exit so that the country can be saved, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said.

We have held talks, especially about the coming together of all parties and making all preparations ahead of the upcoming Parliament elections. Whatever will be done next, will be done in the nation’s interest. Those who are ruling now, have nothing to do. They are just doing their own publicity. Nothing is being done for the nation’s development, Nitish Kumar said during her meeting with Mamata Banerjee.

Meeting Nitish Kumar in Howrah, Mamata Banerjee said, “I have made just one request to Nitish Kumar. Jayaprakash ji’s movement started from Bihar. If we have an all-party meeting in Bihar, we can then decide where we have to go next. But first of all, we have to give a message that we are united. I have said earlier too that I have no objections. I want BJP to become zero. They have become a big hero with media’s support and lies.

We will go ahead together. We have no personal ego, we want to work together collectively, want BJP to become zero…, added Mamata Banerjee.

Responding to opposition leaders’ struggle to unite ahead of 2024, BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya said, “Is Nitish Kumar doing anything for Bihar as the CM? He met Mamata Banerjee. Mamata Banerjee met Arvind Kejriwal. Arvind Kejriwal met Sharad Pawar. The Opposition can carry on with this series of meetings. But who is the leader of the Opposition? What are its policies? What are they thinking for the country? There is no discussion on this. If the Opposition wants to fight the 2024 elections only with the basic mantra of “Modi hatao”, naturally they won’t get public support.

The country is emerging as an economic superpower, and at such a time the Opposition has neither a leader nor intentions or policy. Why will the people support them, Amit Malviya asked.