Leaders start arriving for Patna Oppn meeting, with promise of ‘the first draft of unity’

But if there is a touch of history about the Opposition meeting here Friday, there is also an element of desperation – and the burden of expectation. It’s the first such unity meeting for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls among 18-odd Opposition parties of all hues – socialists, Communists, regional satraps formerly of the Congress, and the much-emaciated grand old party itself.

Sources across parties argue that nothing “extraordinary” should be expected on Friday. But, even at the minimum, the goal is to prepare “the first draft of unity” – or a road map for a united fight.

The specifics of that would be a seat-sharing formula ensuring a one-on-one contest between Opposition parties and the BJP in as many as seats as possible – sources speak of talks being on for 450 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats – apart from a common minimum programme, a resolution to not attack each other in states, and to come together on issues of national concern.

TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accompanied by party leader Abhishek Banerjee meets RJD President Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi and Bihar Dy CM Tejashwi Yadav, in Patna, Thursday, June 22, 2023. (PTI Photo)

But most leaders don’t expect much forward movement in this first meeting, particularly over the seat-sharing formula. The most expected outcome is a joint statement accusing the Modi-led Centre of undermining democracy, trampling institutions and silencing dissent, and asserting an intent to fight unitedly against the BJP.

The leaders also say that the very fact that so many parties – which are rivals in states – have agreed to sit together is a success. Apart from the lack of fracas over who will lead the front and who would be the prime ministerial face, so far.

A lot depends on the response of the Congress – to be represented at the meeting by its president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi. In leaving a large chunk of the seats to regional parties in states where they are strong, the Congress would be ceding the most ground, and would be doing so on the assurance that the regional parties would return the favour in Congress strongholds.

With most of the parties in attendance sharing a socialist background or socialist ideology, there is a possibility of a consensus to hold rallies demanding a nationwide caste census.

Some hiccups are natural, particularly over agendas specific to some regional parties. On Thursday, in a last-minute announcement, the RLD’s Jayant Chaudhary said he would skip the meeting due to a “pre-decided family programme”. AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said he expects parties to vow support to it against the ordinance passed by the Centre to curtail powers of its government. There was talk on Wednesday of the AAP staging “walkout” if that did not happen.

AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann visits Patna Sahib Gurudawara, in Patna. (PTI)

Besides, the RJD, Trinamool Congress, JD(U) and JMM might seek support of parties against the alleged misuse of Central agencies to browbeat Opposition parties.

This will cause some heartburn, given the bitter rivalry between the AAP and Congress, and the TMC and Congress in states.

The Congress believes the AAP is trying to unnecessarily box it into a corner on the Delhi ordinance issue. Some of the parties friendly to the Congress too argue that Friday’s meeting is about discussing a joint strategy for 2024 and not about any “one issue”.

If JD(U) chief spokesperson K C Tyagi spoke of “the need for one-on-one contests” on maximum seats as the prime issue on the agenda, RJD national vice-president and former MP Shivanand Tiwari said the first goal was “to come out with the alternative they are offering against the NDA”. Bihar Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh hoped for a common minimum programme.

“Attacking Prime Minister Modi cannot suffice. We have to work out tactical alliances in certain states and the Congress and some Opposition parties should show willingness to come together in others,” Tiwari said.

Posters of Opposition leaders put up near Patna airport. (Credit: Ranjan Rahi)

On a seat-sharing formula, Tyagi said: “If one counts the seats in Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, we can see the possibility of a direct contest (between the Opposition and BJP). But while Akhilesh Yadav might not have much issue aligning with the Congress, Mamata Banerjee might want the CPI(M) to opt out of some seats in West Bengal and Kejriwal might have similar demands in Punjab and Delhi.”

On whether the Opposition would project a PM face, Tyagi said: “Those talking about this should know that the Patna meeting is not about such things but on a united and strong Opposition first… We can already sense nervousness in the BJP. Patna will rewrite history by bringing the Opposition on one platform again.”

Patna, meanwhile, is already buzzing, and it’s not just due to the posters of top Opposition leaders – cutting across the West (Maharashtra, NCP) to East (Jharkhand, JMM); and North (Kashmir, (PDP, National Conference) to South (Tamil Nadu, DMK) – along roads, including Jawaharlal Nehru Marg.

By Thursday, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had landed at Patna airport along with her No. 2 Abhishek Banerjee, making a straight dash to meet Lalu and family; Kejriwal was in along with AAP Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and senior party leaders Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha; and all the way from Kashmir was PDP leader and former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti.

JD(U) chief and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar met most of them for a personal welcome. Earlier in the day, he called on Lalu; both incidentally fellow travellers of that 1974 movement. Now, as the prime mover behind Friday’s meeting, it is Nitish’s long-awaited moment in the sun.