Opposition Unity meeting shifted from Shimla to Bengaluru

NCP leader Sharad Pawar has revealed that the next meeting of opposition leaders will take place in Bengaluru on July 13 and 14 to unite against the ruling party BJP.

This announcement comes after the previous opposition gathering in Patna on June 23, where leaders from 15 parties had come together to discuss their strategy for the upcoming elections, to work collectively in their respective states to counter the ruling party in the 2024 elections.

Pawar stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared restless following the opposition parties' meeting in Patna. Initially, the opposition leaders had planned to meet in Shimla from July 10 to 12 to formulate a joint agenda. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had described the previous meeting as positive, emphasizing the decision to contest elections together.

Prominent leaders such as Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Mehbooba Mufti, and Sharad Pawar had attended the Patna gathering.

However, disagreements arose between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over an ordinance curbing the powers of the Delhi government led by Kejriwal. AAP criticized Congress for not clarifying its stance on the ordinance and expressed hesitation to attend future meetings where Congress would be present.

The BJP, on the other hand, has dismissed the opposition meetings as mere photo-ops. Union Home Minister Amit Shah labeled the Patna gathering as a photo session, asserting that despite their efforts, the opposition parties cannot achieve true unity.