Opposition meet in Patna on June 23; Rahul, Kharge to attend

Meeting likely to discuss forming panels

A meeting of the joint Opposition parties in Patna on June 23 is likely to discuss forming smaller committees of leaders to take forward unity efforts, sources said on Wednesday.

The meeting, which was earlier scheduled to be held next Monday, has been rescheduled to ensure that heads of parties attend the meeting being hosted by Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar.

Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal said party president Mallikarjun Kharge and top leader Rahul Gandhi would attend the meeting. “We believe that our unity and commitment to the purpose of defending democracy is the need of the hour and we will succeed in defeating the divisive forces in power today,” he tweeted.

DH on June 4 had reported that the joint Opposition meeting, which was rescheduled, would be held in Patna on June 23.

Sources said there are suggestions to form three-four smaller panels to take forward the exercise as all party heads may not be always available for consultations.

No decision has been taken on forming panels, sources said, adding it could be discussed as some parties have suggested so. There could be panels for coordination, preparing a programme for the grouping and coalition building.

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However, a section of leaders are not enthusiastic about the idea about formal panels as they believe it could lead to jostling for space in such committees, which could lead to murmurs of dissent within.

They believe that informal panels for coordination would be a better idea rather than going ahead with formalising it. They also said that it is an early stage to form panels on coalition building and preparing a programme for the group.

The fresh date of the Opposition meeting has not been announced. Nitish has made it clear that the meeting should have the attendance of heads of parties. He was upset with parties that many of them were nominating leaders other than party heads for the meeting.

As the Opposition has stepped up efforts, the BJP too has initiated an exercise to reach out to its erstwhile allies like TDP and Akali Dal. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had a meeting with TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu recently in the national capital.