Sanjay Raut backs Chidambaram's idea to field common candidate against BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha election

Non-BJP parties are scheduled to meet in Patna on June 12. The meeting will have discussions on strategy against the ruling BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

Published on: May 30, 2023, 17:24:41 IST

By HT News Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has confirmed that the chief of his party, Uddhav Thackeray, along with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar will attend the meeting of non-BJP parties in Patna on June 12. He also agreed with senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on fielding a common candidate on 400 to 450 seats against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut. (PTI)

“What Chidambaram had said is true. There are around 450 seats where if one-to-one (common) candidates are fielded (against the BJP) then the entire verdict on the country's politics will change,” Raut told news agency ANI, adding the decision on this will be made on June 12 in the meeting.

Also read: ‘Not good for opposition unity’: Congress slams Trinamool for ‘poaching’ its lone Bengal MLA

On Monday, Chidambaram said the work to bring non-BJP parties together ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election was going on and there is a possibility to field common candidates on at least 400 to 450 seats against the BJP.

“Our party [Congress] line is that all the non-BJP parties must get together as far as possible. If they come together, then it is possible that on 400 to 450 seats, we can field one common candidate against the BJP but that is still a desire; an aspiration,” the former Union minister had said. He added that the opposition is beginning to realise the ‘necessity to unite and put up a united opposition front against the BJP’.

The scheduled meeting is a result of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's attempts to present a unified non-BJP front ahead of the upcoming general elections. He had held talks with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi to discuss a broad strategy and prepare the ground for the June 12 meeting.

At least 18 parties were expected to attend the Patna meeting. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee suggested the meeting when she met Kumar in April. Banerjee, who has also backed Kumar’s “One-On-One” candidate strategy, invoked socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan’s “Total Revolution” movement against the Congress government in the 1970s while suggesting the meeting in Patna.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.