BJP trying to counter effects of Opposition meeting in Bihar

To offset the effect of the Opposition meet, Nadda and Amit Shah will address public meetings in the state on June 24 and 29, respectively.

Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday sought to debunk any comparisons between other anti-establishment mobilizations in contemporary Indian politics like the anti-Emergency movement with the Patna plenary being hosted by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar claiming that unlike in the past, "it is the opposition and not the ruling party which now faces graft allegations.”

Former Bihar deputy chief minister and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi- himself a product of the JP Movement against Indira Gandhi told DH that unlike “in 1989, there were allegations of corruption against the ruling Rajiv Gandhi government for the Bofors scam, and in 1977, a key point for the Janata merger was the fight against corruption. But this time, they have no big corruption allegation against the ruling party.”

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He adds that those who are congregating in the land of JP Narain were those who arrested him. “During the Emergency, the same people arrested JP and incarcerated him, and now they are saying that democracy is in danger,” Modi added.

BJP OBC Morcha general secretary and party spokesperson Nikhil Anand says that Opposition Unity efforts have been successful only when the country’s atmosphere was conducive for it. “For instance, in 1967, 1977, 1989, or 1991 the Opposition gathering yielded positive results, but the present situation, on the other hand, suits the BJP. The parties involved are mired in massive corruption and loot; some of them are owned by individuals and others by dynastic families. They are desperate to get together just to save their party and leadership,” Anand said.