NEW DELHI: A day after Bihar Chief Minister revoked talks about consolidation of the opposition parties to fight the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav also jumped into the bandwagon signalling the possibility of parties burying the hatchet to put up a united face.
“A continuous exercise is underway to form an alternative for 2024. Nitishji, Mamataji and KCR Sahab are working for it. An alternative is needed with inflation at its peak,” said Yadav. While the chorus of opposition unity has gained momentum, it is no secret that Nitish Kumar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) are aspirants for the Prime Minister post in the event of defeating BJP in the next general election. During a conference of his party on Sunday, Nitish Kumar dismissed the possibility of a third front in 2024 and said that there will be a ‘main front to fight the BJP at the national level. He was referring to the efforts of Mamata Banerjee and KCR in the past to forge a third front minus the Congress against BJP.
The posturing of JD (U) and SP leaders are significant in the wake of the recent Assembly bypoll election results, say analysts. While BJP secured a record-breaking win in Gujarat, it lost Himachal Pradesh to the Congress. Out of the six by-polls held in five states, BJP and the Congress won two seats each while one each went to BJD and RLD. Analysts say that the opposition parties are getting their act together before it is too late.
Ever since JD (U) supremo Nitish Kumar walked out of alliance with the BJP in Bihar, he has been at the forefront of bringing disparate parties together to put up a united front against the BJP. The renewed talks of Opposition Unity also come in the backdrop of leaders from TMC and AAP attending a meeting of the Opposition parties ahead of the Parliament session.