Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai on Thursday as a part of their effort to strengthen the Opposition unity towards the BJP forward of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“We want maximum [Opposition] parties of the country to come together and fight [against the BJP]. The way the party at the Centre is working and things are happening, history is changing… They have controlled the media and are pressuring the media. There has to be unity among all religions… We want all [Opposition parties] to unite. We are meeting everyone. Once it is done, we will decide on a joint meeting of all the Opposition parties of the country,” Nitish stated at a press convention after assembly Uddhav at his residence in Bandra.
He later met Pawar at his home in south Mumbai.
“Right now the task is to unite all the parties. It is important to work together to save democracy. After looking at the condition of the country, it seems if we work together, there will be support for the alternative,” stated Pawar.
The NCP chief stated these discussions are a part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). “We all have been together and we are bringing in more parties and groups.”
Nitish stated they’re making an attempt arduous to kind a bigger coalition. “We will discuss it with all the stakeholders and can give it a new name,” he stated.
Asked if Pawar would be the fundamental face of the Opposition alliance, Nitish stated, “There will be nothing more delightful than that. I have told him that he has to work with more vigour not only for his party but for the entire country.”
Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish and Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi have been assembly Opposition leaders throughout the nation to deliver them collectively forward of the Lok Sabha polls.
Meanwhile, the BJP in Bihar on Thursday slammed Nitish over his assembly with UBT Sena chief Uddhav and reminded the previous of the Shiv Sena’s alleged excesses towards Hindi-speaking migrants.
State BJP chief Samrat Choudhary accused the CM of getting “appeared in the court (darbar mein haazir hue)” of Thackeray, referring to the JD(U) chief’s go to to his home.
“Nitish Kumar runs his JD(U) like a fiefdom. It is true for all regional parties. A reason why he also takes along, on his excursions, the crown prince,” stated Choudhary, referring to Tejashwi, who visited Mumbai with the CM.
(With PTI inputs)