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‘What a friendship’: Shehzad Poonawalla mocks ‘opposition unity’ in latest tweet
His comments come a day after the opposition parties held a meeting in Patna on Friday.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shehzad Poonawalla took a dig at the opposition Saturday over its initial attempts to unite ahead of the 2024 general election. The swipe at the 'amazing introduction of opposition unity' comes a day after Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar led a 15-party meet in Patna to discuss a potential grand alliance to stop prime minister Narendra Modi and the BJP from claiming an unprecedented third consecutive term next year.
"Left's crime branch in Kerala arrests Kerala Congress president for corruption - Congress is shouting vendetta... Congress showed the mirror to AAP in Delhi on 370... TMC hurried Nitish Babu... AAP showed teeth to everyone... What a friendship," Poonawalla tweeted.
Poonawalla's jab at the opposition continues the flood of attacks by the BJP, which included 'dulhan' taunts by ex-Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Modi and former union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Current union minister Smriti Irani 'thanked' the opposition for their meeting, claiming it indicated they know they will be defeated in the 2024 election.
READ | Amid AAP-Cong tension and BJP's 'dulhan' jabs, Oppn holds big Patna meet
The opposition's Patna meet finished on a suitably friendly note last evening - despite tension over the Aam Aadmi Party's spat with the Congress over support against the centre's ordinance on control over bureaucrats in the national capital. A phalanx of top politicians addressed the media after the day-long meeting and indicated progress had been made.
READ | Opposition 'satisfied' with Patna meeting, next huddle in Shimla on July 10-12
The headline moment, though, belonged to Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who accused the BJP of 'atrocious methods' - a reference to the opposition's belief the ruling party uses investigative agencies like the Enforcement Directorate to intimidate rival leaders.
"We are united and will fight together... The history started from here and BJP wants to change that history. Our objective is to speak against this fascist government," she said.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "We have to fight the elections together in 2024. We have decided to throw out the BJP and are confident of forming the next government."
READ | BJP slammed for 'atrocious methods' at Oppn's Patna meet. Who said what?
The meeting organiser, Nitish Kumar, hailed a 'good meeting'.
Kharge, however, also downplayed any commitment to backing the AAP in its bid to defeat the Delhi ordinance in the Rajya Sabha; the AAP has secured support from multiple opposition parties, including Nitish's Janata Dal (United).
READ | AAP raps Cong over Delhi ordinance, 'silence raises doubts'
In signs opposition unity may already be fraying, the party also accused the Congress of a 'deal' with the BJP.
