<p>The Opposition has now started serious attempts to give a proper structure to the unity exercise ahead of Lok Sabha elections, after successfully testing waters with a joint boycott call of Parliament building inauguration and efforts to defeat Delhi ordinance in Rajya Sabha.</p>.<p>Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called leaders for a meeting in Patna on June 12 to start the exercise to fine tune Opposition strategy. While it is dubbed as a preparatory meeting, a more elaborate deliberation will be held in the third week of June with Shimla being the likely venue.</p>.<p>When Nitish had met Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi on May 22, it was announced that the date and venue would be announced in “a day or two” but it was delayed as senior Congress leaders were busy with discussion on Karnataka Ministry formation.</p>.<p>Sources said Nitish’s meeting would be preparatory in nature and a couple of leaders have expressed their unavailability on that day due to pre-occupations. The meeting in Shimla is likely to be on June 23.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/appreciate-nitish-kumars-efforts-for-opposition-unity-cant-trust-kcr-and-kejriwal-congress-1222718.html" target="_blank">Appreciate Nitish Kumar's efforts for Opposition unity; can't trust KCR and Kejriwal: Congress</a></strong></p>.<p>While Nitish started to reach out to leaders about the June 12 meeting, there were reservations among a section of Opposition leaders over Nitish taking the lead and holding the meeting in Patna, which could be interpreted as the JD(U) leader being seen as the face of the grouping.</p>.<p>Sources said some leaders have approached the Congress leadership for clarity. With a thumping win in Karnataka in hand, Congress is unlikely to leave its pole position in the Opposition plank though there are parties like Trinamool Congress and BRS which are not keen on it.</p>.<p>These parties are, however, comfortable with Nitish playing the coordinator’s role. Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee had suggested to Nitish to hold the opposition meet in Patna when he met her in Kolkata last month.</p>.<p>Sources said a decision on the meetings is likely to come on Monday. </p>
<p>The Opposition has now started serious attempts to give a proper structure to the unity exercise ahead of Lok Sabha elections, after successfully testing waters with a joint boycott call of Parliament building inauguration and efforts to defeat Delhi ordinance in Rajya Sabha.</p>.<p>Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called leaders for a meeting in Patna on June 12 to start the exercise to fine tune Opposition strategy. While it is dubbed as a preparatory meeting, a more elaborate deliberation will be held in the third week of June with Shimla being the likely venue.</p>.<p>When Nitish had met Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi on May 22, it was announced that the date and venue would be announced in “a day or two” but it was delayed as senior Congress leaders were busy with discussion on Karnataka Ministry formation.</p>.<p>Sources said Nitish’s meeting would be preparatory in nature and a couple of leaders have expressed their unavailability on that day due to pre-occupations. The meeting in Shimla is likely to be on June 23.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/appreciate-nitish-kumars-efforts-for-opposition-unity-cant-trust-kcr-and-kejriwal-congress-1222718.html" target="_blank">Appreciate Nitish Kumar's efforts for Opposition unity; can't trust KCR and Kejriwal: Congress</a></strong></p>.<p>While Nitish started to reach out to leaders about the June 12 meeting, there were reservations among a section of Opposition leaders over Nitish taking the lead and holding the meeting in Patna, which could be interpreted as the JD(U) leader being seen as the face of the grouping.</p>.<p>Sources said some leaders have approached the Congress leadership for clarity. With a thumping win in Karnataka in hand, Congress is unlikely to leave its pole position in the Opposition plank though there are parties like Trinamool Congress and BRS which are not keen on it.</p>.<p>These parties are, however, comfortable with Nitish playing the coordinator’s role. Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee had suggested to Nitish to hold the opposition meet in Patna when he met her in Kolkata last month.</p>.<p>Sources said a decision on the meetings is likely to come on Monday. </p>
