With Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav meeting him and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge as part of efforts to forge a common front against the BJP, Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday that it was a “historic step” towards opposition unity and for an ideological fight.
Rahul Gandhi, who posted a picture of Kharge and him with JD-U and RJD leaders, said they are “standing together, will fight together – for India.” “In this battle of ideology, a historic step has been taken today towards opposition unity. (We are) standing together will fight together – for India!” Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.
Janata Dal-United president Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh was also present at the meeting held at Kharge’s residence.
The meeting is being seen as an attempt by Congress and other opposition parties to take forward their “unity” displayed during the budget session of Parliament session that concluded on April 6. The session saw continuous disruptions over the opposition’s demand for a JPC probe into the Hindenburg-Adani row. The opposition parties also slammed the government over disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha following his conviction by a Surat court in a criminal defamation case.
Kharge had earlier this month telephoned Nitish Kumar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in an effort to build on “unity” displayed during the budget session of Parliament.
Opposition leaders have in the past made efforts to forge a broad unity to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Congress is a junior part of the ruling Mahagathbandhan in Bihar which also includes JD-U and Rashtriya Janata Dal. While Nitish Kumar leads the government, Tejashwi Yadav is the state Deputy Chief Minister.