PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's fervent appeal for the opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election has started showing its effect with his Telangana counterpart K Chandrashekhar Rao visiting the state on August 31.
According to an official note, Rao is visiting Bihar to provide financial support to families of Galwan valley martyrs and also to families of 12 labourers from the state killed in a mishap in Telangana. But his visit has generated much political heat in Bihar as Rao will also be meeting RJD chief Lalu Prasad, chief minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav in the state capital.
It is expected that Nitish would also visit various states in his bid to bring all opposition parties on a single platform to stop the BJP juggernaut in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. It is believed that Nitish would launch his campaign for opposition unity after JD (U)'s two-day national executive and council meeting in the state capital on September 3.
The grand alliance is also in an upbeat mood following the return of Nitish to the alliance almost after five years. The grand alliance in Bihar has emerged as a formidable grouping comprising RJD, JD (U), Congress, left parties and HAM and is likely to give a tough challenge to BJP in the next Lok Sabha election. Bihar has 40 Lok Sabha seats and last time the BJP-JD (U)-LJP combine had won 39 seats in the last LS election. The lone Lok Sabha seat Kishanganj had gone to the Congress.
On the other hand, BJP has also geared up to take the challenge head-on as Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be addressing public meetings in the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region of the state for two days from September 23. Shah's visit will be followed by BJP national chief JP Nadda and other senior leaders of the party to the Seemanchal region, which comprised of Purnea, Kishanganj, Katihar and Araria districts.