The stage is set for the much-awaited opposition meeting in Patna on June 23, which leaders of at least 18 political parties will attend at chief minister Nitish Kumar’s residence in Patna. Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, MK Stalin among others will be arriving in Patna from Wednesday night. Kumar, who is the host, is keeping a close watch on the arrangements.
Colourful posters and banners, including those of Rahul Gandhi, Kejriwal, Punjab CM Bhagwat Mann, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and others can be seen in the state capital. Leaders will be staying at the VIP guest house and prime hotels in the city.
The BJP, meanwhile, is also trying to garner support and forming new allies. On Tuesday (June 20), Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) patron and former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi met union home minister Amit Shah in Delhi. His son Santosh Suman, who was a cabinet minister in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government, was also present.
The meeting was important as Manjhi has a strong Dalit vote bank in Bihar. Soon after the meeting, the HAM officially announced that it was an NDA ally now.
Here is all you need to know about the upcoming opposition meeting:
- Bihar CM Nitish Kumar will propose to form a core committee at the meeting of opposition leaders
- The committee should resolve the issue on seat sharing and all parties should accept the decision
- There should be a common opposition candidate against the BJP and it would be better if that is decided first
- Kumar can also seek proposals from all parties regarding seat sharing
Who all will be attending?
Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and People’s Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Left leaders will be attending the meeting.
What is likely to be discussed?
A close confidant of Nitish Kumar said the CM, who is trying to bring the opposition parties together, will be hosting the leaders. As soon as the meeting starts, he will make an opening speech and, during the meeting, he will urge everyone to present their opinions on drawing up a strategy on how to fight the BJP as one for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Kumar will likely be named convener of the united opposition front and will then launch his formal campaign against the BJP. In his speech, he will address the need to form a core committee with representatives of all parties.
The CM’s advice will be to form the core committee, a powerful body to resolve issues within the alliance if any arise. The decisions of this committee should be considered as final and, in case of a dispute, its decision will be binding. He will also talk about fixing the name of the coordinator for the core committee.
Kumar will also be urging the opposition parties to agree to defeat the BJP that the opposition should have a common candidate against the saffron camp. In doing so, he will request all parties to show generosity. Mamata has also given the same advice that defeating the BJP was not a difficult task if there was a united front.
If there is an issue with seat sharing, the core committee should solve it. The Bihar CM will urge everyone in his keynote address to suggest a formula for seat sharing. If there is any problem with seat sharing, then the core committee should resolve it. Its decision should be final and binding, as it can then prevent conflicts.
“We have decided on three things. The date, venue and that the heads of the opposition parties will attend the meeting. We will decide the date and venue of the next meeting on June 23. Beyond this, if anyone wants to jump the gun, it will not be advisable,” said the TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien.
Decoding caste dynamics in Bihar
Kumar has been criticised for switching sides and abandoning those close to him. If we look at the recent past, he has lost a number of important friends after ditching the BJP in August last year. Former union minister RCP Singh (from the Kurmi caste), who was once Kumar’s main man, joined the BJP. Upendra Kushwaha (from the Koeri community), who was once closest to the CM, had resigned from the JD(U) and formed his own party, the Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal (RLJD).
Manjhi (Mahadalit community), who was an ally of the JD(U) till three days ago, has declared his support for the NDA. Samrat Choudhary, the present state BJP president, is also from the Koeri caste.
According to Census data, other backward classes (OBC) form 50 percent of the population in the state. Of this, 11 percent are Kurmis and Koeris, while 15 percent are Yadavs. The Muslim population is 17 percent followed by dalits at 16 percent and so-called upper castes at 15 percent.
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