‘Will fight BJP unitedly… protect history and save country’: What Oppn leaders said after Patna meet

Here’s what the leaders who attended the meeting said:

Addressing a press conference following the meeting, Nitish Kumar said 17 parties have decided to fight the 2024 general elections together. Stating that the next meeting of opposition parties will be held in Himachal Pradesh capital, Shimla, the Bihar CM said the future plan of action will be chalked out soon.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the united front will have to evolve separate plans for every state and work together to dethrone the BJP at the Centre.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said despite differences, “we have decided to work together with flexibility and will work to protect our ideology.”

Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had proposed the Patna meeting, said whatever starts from Patna will take the shape of a public movement. “We all are united and will fight unitedly against the BJP,” she asserted. Alleging that the BJP wants history to be changed, Mamata said “we will ensure that history is saved.”

Mamata further alleged that “if this dictatorial NDA government returns this time, there will be no elections in future.”

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar said the united front will get the blessings of the public just like the Bihar movement, also known as the JP movement, that was led by Jayaprakash Narayan against the state government’s misrule in 1974.

RJD supremo and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad said people of the country “want us to fight unitedly” against the BJP and the RSS. Taking potshots at PM Modi, Lalu said “Prime Minister Modi is distributing sandalwood in the US when the country is facing problems.”

Further urging the Opposition parties to fight unitedly, Lalu said, “People of the country used to say that votes got divided as the opposition did not fight together.” He also claimed that the country was on the verge of breaking.

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin said no decision was taken on PM candidate at the Patna opposition parties’ meet. He added that he was confident of a united opposition defeating the BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Targeting the BJP, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti remarked, “We can’t let Gandhi’s India to become Godse’s country.”

National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah said that 17 parties from Kashmir to Kanyakumari have come together “not for power, but for principles”.

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav said the message from the Patna conclave was clear that all opposition parties need to work together to save the country.

Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM leader Hemant Soren said today’s beginning will prove to be a milestone for the country and all leaders will move together with a positive thinking.

CPI leader D Raja alleged that BJP’s nine-year rule has become “disastrous and detrimental” to the constitution of the country.

– With PTI inputs