Big opposition unity meet in Bihar after Karnataka polls; Pawar, Banerjee to attend

The opposition leaders are likely to meet in the third week of May in Patna in an attempt to forge unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, India Today reported citing sources.

The development comes after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata and Samajwadi Chief Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow, respectively, last month.

The report claimed that the leaders are likely to meet on May 17 or 18. It has to be noted that the meeting would take place days after the Karnataka Assembly polls.

The elections for the 224-member Karnataka Assembly will be held on May 10. The results will be announced on May 13.

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, who announced recently that he was stepping down as the chief of the party, and UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray have agreed to attend the meet.

JDU leader Devesh Chandra Thakur called on Pawar and Thackeray on Thursday in Mumbai.

The big opposition meeting is expected to have the participation of: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Left leaders Sitaram Yechury and D Raja are likely to attend the meeting. If Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal could not attend, he is expected to send his representative.

Nitish Kumar is expected to meet Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in this regard, the report stated.

Last month, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata.

"I have made just one request to Nitish Kumar. Jayaprakash ji's movement started from Bihar. If we have an all-party meeting in Bihar, we can then decide where we have to go next. But first of all, we have to give a message that we are united. I have said earlier too that I have no objections. I want BJP to become zero. They have become a big hero with media's support and lies," Banerjee said after the meeting.

On his turn, Nitish Kumar said that they had a "very positive discussion". "Opposition parties need to sit together and strategise," the Bihar CM had said.

Kumar, later, met SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. "The BJP should be removed and the country be saved, and we are with you in this campaign," the SP chief said after the meeting.

With inputs from PTI