Opposition leaders from throughout the nation gathered in Patna at this time to discover the potential of a united entrance to problem the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in subsequent yr’s basic election. The assembly – hosted by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar – started at 11.30 am with 32 political leaders in attendance.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and celebration chief Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Social gathering chief Sharad Pawar are amongst these attending, as are Tamil Nadu chief minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief MK Stalin and Bengal chief minister and Trinamool boss Mamata Banerjee.
READ | Key Oppn meet for roadmap for LS polls: Check who all are attending
Nationwide Convention chief Omar Abdullah and the Individuals’s Democratic Social gathering’s Mehbooba Mufti, each ex-chief ministers of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, are additionally current. Members of a number of Left events are additionally in Patna.
LIVE COVERAGE | Opposition’s grand unity meet in Patna for 2024 LS polls
In whole 15 opposition events are within the Bihar capital at this time; this doesn’t embrace Telangana’s ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi, which faces an election this yr, Andhra Pradesh’s ruling YSR Congress and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal, in addition to Karnataka’s Janata Dal (Secular).
Why is that this assembly necessary?
That is the primary time various events which were at loggerheads with the Congress previously will huddle collectively. It would look to set the tone for (a hopefully) united opposition’s gameplan for the 2024 election.
Among the many many factors that will probably be mentioned is a seat-sharing formulation primarily based on the efficiency of every celebration over the previous three elections.
READ | JD(U), RJD propose seat-sharing based on last three poll results
AAP the lynchpin?
Forward of the assembly, although, all eyes have been on the Aam Aadmi Social gathering of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, which reportedly threatened to stroll out if the Congress doesn’t help its combat in opposition to an ordinance granting the centre management over posting of bureaucrats within the nationwide capital.
Sources had informed Hindustan Instances Kejriwal might object if the Congress stays non-committal – because it has up to now – and that this might derail the prospect of opposition unity.
Will AAP truly stroll out?
Priyanka Kakkar, the celebration’s chief spokesperson, stated Thursday she had no info on this subject and that ‘our prime management will attend… it (the walkout) will probably be their determination’.
The AAP chief additionally accused the Congress of a take care of the BJP – that it’ll walkout when the ordinance is tabled within the Rajya Sabha, reducing the brink wanted to cross it.
What’s the ordinance?
Promulgated by president Droupadi Murmu final month, the ordinance was launched by the BJP authorities to negate a Supreme Court docket order granting Delhi’s elected authorities to make legal guidelines and management ‘providers’ within the metropolis.
The ordinance arrange an administrative authority of the chief minister and two bureaucrats and stated all choices needed to be by majority votes.
READ | Delhi services ordinance renders elected govt redundant: Kejriwal
Kejriwal has actively sought non-BJP events’ backing to defeat the ordinance within the Rajya Sabha – the one doable choice given the BJP’s energy within the Lok Sabha. He has been promised help by a number of, together with the Trinamool and the NCP, however not by the Congress.
What is going to the Congress do?
The Congress is not going to take kindly to being pressured into supporting Kejriwal. Senior leaders indicated to Hindustan Instances the celebration has no obligation to again the AAP and that the Patna assembly had larger fish to fry – defeating the BJP.
“All of us wish to combat collectively in opposition to the BJP… our agenda is to take away the BJP authorities,” Congress boss Kharge stated earlier at this time, “We are going to take a call on this (supporting AAP) earlier than the (monsoon) session of Parliament.”
What’s the BJP saying?
A less-than-impressed BJP has claimed it sees no menace on this assembly. Rajya Sabh MP and ex Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Modi – as soon as seen as Nitish Kumar’s proper hand man – declared the meet to be a ‘marriage ceremony procession through which everyone seems to be a groom…’
“Nitish ji ne aisi baraat lagaai hai, jisme sab dulhe hain (Nitish ji has made such a baraat through which everyone seems to be a groom… there aren’t any visitors),” Modi stated and pointed to AAP’s ‘menace’.
READ | Opposition unlikely to ink common minimum programme in Patna
“Everyone seems to be busy making others settle for their situations… Kejriwal has threatened he is not going to attend the assembly till the Congress publicizes cooperation on the ordinance concern…”
Sushil Modi additionally forged doubts over seat-sharing plans for subsequent yr’s Lok Sabha election and stated he didn’t see the AAP and the Congress as viable allies.
Former union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad additionally hit out with a ‘dulhan‘ jibe, telling reporters, “Nitish Kumar is adorning the marriage procession for the 2024 election in Patna… however who’s the groom (prime ministerial face)?”
What do different opposition leaders say?
Not all opposition leaders will probably be in Patna; ex Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Bahujan Samaj Social gathering chief Mayawati is not going to and provided sarcastic digs, declaring the assembly ‘was extra like becoming a member of arms, not hearts’.
READ | ‘Muh mein Ram, bagal mein…’: Mayawati on opposition’s Patna meet
“Earlier than any such assembly… it might have been higher if these events had come clear on their intentions. How lengthy will ‘moonh mein Ram, bagal mein chhuri’ final?” she stated, referring to a Hindi proverb about faux reward.