Oppn gathers, thunder before 2024

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Congress central leadership on Monday declared that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi is desperately trying to revive the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and expand it, it is because of growing Opposition unity.

They were referring to the overwhelming response to the first Opposition meet that was hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on June 23 in Patna and the second meeting of the anti-BJP front that will take place in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

Monday witnessed an informal dinner of opposition leaders.

“After the Patna meeting, those who were saying that we are very much comfortable alone and can defeat the whole Opposition, have now started holding meetings. That is the real success of efforts for Opposition unity,” All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said.

“The Prime Minister and the BJP are afraid. The Prime Minister suddenly remembered the NDA after the Patna meeting. He is trying to breathe new life into the NDA,” AICC communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said.

The Grand Old Party has been flexing its muscles because 26 parties will attend the meeting including CMs such as Nitish Kumar, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, MK Stalin, among other bigwigs.

The Congress has been adding allies since the 2014 general elections when United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was down to NCP, RLD, NC and others. The Grand Old Party had finished with an abysmal 44 seats with its UPA partners bagging 16 more.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, UPA was expanded to include DMK, JD(S), the Left, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and smaller parties. Congress had increased its tally to 52 with UPA winning 91.

Fast forward, 2023, the plan is to unite the fractured Opposition with a seat sharing plan including SP, TMC, Shiv Sena, JD(U), among other former NDA allies in an anti-BJP front.