Opposition 'satisfied' with Patna meeting, next huddle in Shimla on July 10-12

Mallikarjun Kharge responded to the AAP's demand for support on the Centre ordinance and said there are issues that can be discussed when Parliament meets.

Updated on: Jun 23, 2023, 17:13:55 IST

By HT News Desk | Reported by Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi

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The opposition parties, which met at Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's residence in Patna with the aim of forging a united Opposition front to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, decided on Friday to meet again in Shimla on July 10-12.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge during a programme to address the party workers ahead of the Opposition leaders' meeting in Patna on Friday. (ANI )

"We will meet again in July in Shimla to prepare an agenda on how to move ahead together while working in our respective states to fight the BJP in 2024," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at a joint press conference after Opposition's meeting.

Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar said the opposition parties had a "good meeting" in Patna and it has been decided to fight the elections together.

"It was a good meeting where it has been decided to fight the elections together. Another meeting will be held soon," Kumar said at the press conference.

Leaders who attended Opposition meet

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, MP Sanjay Raut, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah attended the meeting.

Kumar also slammed the performance of the BJP-led central government.

Earlier, Kharge responded to the AAP's demand for support on the Centre ordinance in Delhi and said there are issues that can be discussed when Parliament meets for the monsoon session. “Why should we discuss here?” he said. HT also learnt that the Opposition expressed “satisfaction” after the meeting.

Mamata Banerjee slams BJP

In a fiery address, Mamata Banerjee hit out at the BJP. "We are united, we will fight unitedly...The history started from here, the BJP wants that history is changed. And we want history should be saved from Bihar. Our objective is to speak against this fascist government...," the Trinamool Congress supremo said.

“Many CMs, ex-CMs are present at the meeting. It was well organised. All senior leaders are present here. I had suggested a meeting to be held in Patna… We are united. We will fight unitedly. Don't call us Opposition. We are also patriotic, if Manipur burns, we feel pain,” the Bengal CM said.

“The BJP's atrocity, making Raj Bhavan as an alternative government. Anyone who dissents faces the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation,” she added.

Banerjee also claimed that if the BJP wins again, “India will be destroyed”.

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