NEW DELHI: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav held a ”historic” meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, and decided to bring together as many opposition parties as possible to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
WATCH: Congress President Shri @kharge and Shri @RahulGandhi address the media in New Delhi. https://t.co/hZAJ5zCVSN
— Congress (@INCIndia) April 12, 2023
Addressing a joint press conference after the meeting, Kharge said the opposition will together protect the Constitution and democracy and will unitedly give a new direction to the country.
Rahul Gandhi said the opposition will together develop its vision for the country and present the same before people as they fight the ongoing ideological battle together.
This is the first formal effort in forging an opposition unity ahead of next year’s election as the Congress chief would be meeting top leaders of various opposition parties in the coming few days.
संविधान सुरक्षित रखेंगे,
और लोकतंत्र बचाएँगे !
श्री @RahulGandhi जी और हमने बिहार के मुख्यमंत्री श्री @NitishKumar जी, उपमुख्यमंत्री श्री @yadavtejashwi जी व अन्य नेताओं से मुलाक़ात कर, जनता की आवाज़ को एक साथ उठाने और देश को नई दिशा देने का संकल्प दोहराया। pic.twitter.com/FZP9JsPGaQ
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) April 12, 2023
”We held a historic meeting here. A lot of issues were discussed and we decided that we will unite all parties and fight the upcoming polls in a united manner. We have made this decision and all of us will work for this,” he told reporters while lauding the efforts of Kumar, Yadav and others sitting along with him.
He said the leaders present at the meeting will work on a common line of thought and asserted that efforts were being made in this regard.
Gandhi termed the meeting as a ”historic step” to unite the opposition.
सार्थक एवं सकारात्मक pic.twitter.com/dl1XMAzu6N
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) April 12, 2023
Asked how many opposition parties will come together, he said, ”This is a process and we will develop the opposition’s vision for the country and all those parties that will come together with us, we will together fight the ongoing ideological fight in the country.” ”We will unitedly stand against the attack on institutions, the attack on the country,” he said, adding that a very important step has been taken today.
विचारधारा की इस लड़ाई में, विपक्ष की एकता की ओर आज एक ऐतिहासिक कदम लिया गया है।
साथ खड़े हैं, साथ लड़ेंगे – भारत के लिए! pic.twitter.com/xoStUuiqyL
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 12, 2023
The meeting at Kharge’s residence comes amid talks of like-minded opposition parties coming together on a common platform to defeat the BJP in next year’s Lok Sabha elections.
In his remarks, the Bihar chief minister said, ”We will make all efforts to unite more and more parties in the country. We will make all efforts, sit together, and work unitedly, this has been decided.” ”After today’s discussions we will move forward on that basis. All those who agree will sit together and decide the future course of action,” he said.
आज कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री @kharge और श्री @RahulGandhi से बिहार के मुख्यमंत्री श्री @NitishKumar और उपमुख्यमंत्री श्री @yadavtejashwi ने मुलाकात की।
इस दौरान बैठक में कांग्रेस, JDU और RJD के वरिष्ठ नेतागण भी मौजूद रहे। pic.twitter.com/xRdkhNQrXR
— Congress (@INCIndia) April 12, 2023
In a tweet in Hindi, Kharge said, ”Will preserve the Constitution and save democracy. Rahul Gandhi ji and we met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ji, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav ji and other leaders, reiterated our resolve to raise the voice of the people together and give a new direction to the country.” The leaders also had lunch at Kharge’s residence, where JDU president Lalan Singh, Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Congress leader Salman Khurshid and RJD leader Manoj Jha were also present.
हमने एक ऐतिहासिक मीटिंग की। हमने बहुत सी बातों पर चर्चा की। हम सबने मिलकर यह तय किया है कि सभी पार्टियों को एकजुट करना है और आगे के चुनाव में एकजुट होकर लड़ना है। यही हमारा निर्णय हुआ है।
: कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री @kharge pic.twitter.com/FaMBDuTptx
— Congress (@INCIndia) April 12, 2023
The Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress are in a coalition government in Bihar and the three parties are in talks to bring other opposition parties together on a common platform in their fight against the BJP.
विपक्ष को एक करने की एक प्रक्रिया है और उनका देश के लिए जो विजन है, उसे हम विकसित करेंगे।
जो भी पार्टियां हमारे साथ चलेंगी, हम उन्हें लेकर आगे बढ़ेंगे और विचारधारा की लड़ाई लड़ेंगे।
देश और लोकतंत्र पर जो आक्रमण हो रहा है, हम उसके ख़िलाफ एक साथ खड़े होंगे।
: @RahulGandhi जी pic.twitter.com/98IslK9v1Z
— Congress (@INCIndia) April 12, 2023
Kumar arrived here on Tuesday and is expected to meet a slew of opposition leaders during his stay in the national capital.
विपक्षी दलों की एकता के लिए हुई ऐतिहासिक बैठक में लिया गया सकारात्मक निर्णय। pic.twitter.com/g3WNJJvfEv
— Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh (@LalanSingh_1) April 12, 2023
Tejashwi Yadav is also in Delhi as he appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the alleged land-for-jobs scam.
Kharge has spoken to several opposition leaders including M K Stalin and Uddhav Thackeray recently, in an attempt to forging unity among like-minded parties to take on the BJP. He is likely to hold discussions with other top opposition leaders in the coming days.
Source: Press Trust of India
