Patna: Looking ahead at the Opposition’s mega meet in Patna later Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said they would unite to “defeat the BJP”, while keeping up his attack on the ruling party at the Centre for “working to divide the country”.
Their fight against the BJP was over ideology, Rahul Gandhi told state party workers at an event in the Bihar headquarters – hours ahead of the huddle of at least 18 Opposition parties in Patna Friday.
“The BJP is spreading hatred, violence and working to divide India. The Congress is working to unite and spread love in India. You know well that only love can counter hate. All Opposition parties of the country have come here. Ek saath milkar hum BJP ko harane jaa rahe hai (We will defeat the BJP together),” Rahul said.
In the morning, Rahul and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge were received at the Patna airport by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. A large number of Congress leaders also greeted the two leaders when they arrived.
From the airport, Rahul and Kharge went to Sadaqat Ashram, the headquarters of the Congress in Bihar. Before addressing party workers, they unveiled a bust of B.R. Ambedkar on its premises.
In his speech, Kharge sought to project Rahul as the Opposition’s unifier, claiming the latter “took the first step” on this front.
“Leaders of all opposition parties will come together and together we will fight in 2024. To this end, Rahul Gandhi took the first step. He told me and both of us thought we should call leaders of each party and together take this step. That’s why we are here today,” Kharge said.
Incidentally, the meeting is being hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (JDU) and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), both of whom toured the country in previous months for this first get-together. The meeting was supposed to be held on 12 June but was postponed to 23 June because Rahul and Kharge were unavailable and Nitish made it clear only top bosses should attend.
Kharge’s above statement was also significant as other parties have avoided questions over who was likely to be the face of a possible joint front to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
In their speeches, both Rahul and Kharge extolled the role of Bihar in heralding political shifts in the country. “The DNA of the Congress is in Bihar,” Rahul said, with Kharge adding, “Bihar cannot let go of the ideology of Congress party. If we win Bihar, we will win the whole country.”
“The people of Bihar walked with us during the Bharat Jodo Yatra across India. You supported us because you support our ideology,” Rahul said.
The duo, however, did not mention anything about whether the party would support Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party over the central ordinance that has curtailed the state government’s control over the administrative services. Kejriwal has urged the Congress to take a position against the ordinance for the sake of Opposition unity.
Also read: Decision on Delhi ordinance issue will be taken before Parliament session: Kharge