Key Nitish aide confirms Opposition meet likely in Patna on June 12

PATNA: A key aide of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday confirmed that the much-awaited meeting of opposition parties is likely to be held in Patna on June 12.

State minister and senior JD(U) leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said most parties opposed to the BJP are likely to take part in the "extremely important meeting".

"It is now almost final that a meeting of most parties opposed to BJP will be held in Patna on June 12", he said.

"Most opposition parties share the belief that the BJP will not win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections if those opposed to it put up a united fight, the JD(U) leader said.

"It is true that the initiative has been taken by our leader Nitish Kumar but we do not wish to claim any credit. Opposition unity is becoming a reality only because we are getting support from like-minded parties".

Mocking the 'Nau saal bemisaal' campaign of the Narendra Modi government, Chaudhary said, "The past nine years have indeed been unparalleled. During this period the nation was led astray from the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, whose statue was still unveiled abroad.

The allusion was to the unveiling of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Hiroshima by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who toured Japan recently.

On the Sengol controversy, Chaudhary rubbished the Modi government's claim that the sceptre was a symbol of the transfer of power.

"Even if the claim were true, what would it have signified? No transfer of power was taking place yesterday", the JD(U) leader said, referring to the inauguration of the new Parliament building where the sceptre was installed close to the Speaker's chair.

He also made light of the resignation from JD(U) of former Begusarai MP Monazir Hasan, who had on Sunday announced that he was giving up the party's primary membership.

"Last year our party conducted a huge membership drive. But Hasan had refused to renew his membership. So he ceased to be a JD(U) member. I wonder what he is trying to achieve through the charade," Chaudhary added.