Leaders of regional parties call for a united opposition to take on BJP - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Leaders of regional parties call for a united opposition to take on BJP

BySunil Rahar, Rohtak
Sep 26, 2022 12:54 AM IST

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar called for uniting all non-BJP parties, including the Congress and the Left, to take on the BJP and said this “main front of opposition” will ensure that the saffron party loses badly in the 2024 general elections

: Regional heavyweights, including Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, on Sunday underscored the need of uniting all opposition parties, including Congress, to challenge the BJP, as over half a dozen opposition leaders joined hands in Haryana’s Fatehabad district in what is termed as a show of strength to unite anti-BJP outfits for the 2024 general elections.

Leaders of regional parties call for a united opposition to take on BJP
Leaders of regional parties call for a united opposition to take on BJP

Besides Pawar and Kumar, CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury, former Haryana chief minister OP Chautala, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav and Shiv Sena’s Arvind Sawant were among the opposition leaders who congregated for a grand rally organized by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) to mark former deputy prime minister Devi Lal’s birth anniversary.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Kumar called for uniting all non-BJP parties, including the Congress and the Left, to take on the BJP and said this “main front of opposition” will ensure that the saffron party loses badly in the 2024 general elections, according to a PTI report.

“There is no question of a Third Front. There should be one front including Congress, then we can defeat BJP in 2024,” he said, adding that the BJP will “lose the next Lok Sabha elections very badly.”

His comments came just two days after Union home minister Amit Shah - at his first rally in Bihar after BJP’s fallout with JD(U), said that Kumar had backstabbed his party.

Addressing the gathering, Kumar urged INLD patriarch OP Chautala to meet more leaders from different parties and unite them.

“We have asked the Congress also to unite all the parties against the BJP,” Kumar said, adding that he was not a contender for the prime minister’s post.

He accused the BJP of creating disturbances in the society on the basis of religion, saying that there is “no fight between Hindus and Muslims but some people wanted to create friction.”

NCP chief Sharad Pawar applauded the farmers of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Western Uttar Pradesh for fighting against the Union government against the now repealed three contentious farm laws.

“We have taken a pledge to uproot the BJP government from the Centre. This government is against the farmers and it is working for a few businessmen. There is a need for opposition unity,” Pawar said.

He said that the time has come for everyone to work towards ensuring a change of the government at the Centre in 2024.

Pawar said farmers and youths committing suicide is not a solution, but the real solution is to bring about a change and everyone must strive for a change of the government at the Centre.

The opposition leaders slammed the Centre over inflation, rising unemployment in the country and accused it of selling public properties to a few individuals and creating a rift in the society on the basis of religion.

The coming together of so many regional satraps is seen as part of efforts to forge opposition unity. Kumar and RJD president Lalu Prasad met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi after the rally to take the process forward.

Speaking at the rally, RJD leader and Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said the JD(U), SAD and the Shiv Sena left the BJP-led NDA to save the Constitution and democracy.

While the Bihar government has begun the exercise to give jobs to people, the BJP government at the Centre has been unable to fulfil its promise of giving jobs, he alleged.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said that there is a need to save India and it will be possible only by keeping BJP away from the power at Centre.

Badal said that INLD and SAD are real brothers and the rights of farmers can be saved by the leaders present at the rally, calling on all parties to unite to uproot the BJP.

JDU leader KC Tyagi said it will be a historic meeting that will mark the consolidation of like-minded forces against the ruling BJP in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

OP Chautala lists promises for 2024 assembly polls

OP Chautala, whose party is facing a tough time in Haryana, has announced a series of promises for the 2024 Haryana assembly polls.

Chautala said his party will give 1,000 per month to all women, 2,1000 per month unemployment incentive to youths, job to every eligible youth and 10,000 per month elderly pension, if his party voted to power in Haryana in 2024.

“Within a year of the formation of the new government, we will construct the Satluj –Yamuna link (SYL) canal and provide water to state’s farmers,” he said.

Some prominent faces skip the meet

Meghalaya governor Satya Pal Malik could not attend the rally due to his scheduled eye surgery. INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala stated from the main stage of the rally that Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik skipped the rally due to some governmental issues, former Jammu and Kashmir CM Farooq Abdullah had reached Delhi three days ago to attend the event but had to skip due to some health complications.

Abhay read the messages sent by Patnaik and Abdullah. Shiv Sena leader and former Maharashtra CM Udhav Thackeray also skipped the rally.

(With inputs from PTI)

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On