Nitish: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar talks opposition unity with Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav | India News – Times of India

KOLKATA/LUCKNOW: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and deputy Tejashwi Yadav Monday took their renewed mission for a united anti-BJP opposition to Kolkata and Lucknow, first meeting Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to push for a conclave of non-NDA parties in Bihar and then SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to clarify that what mattered was the cause and not the mantle of leadership.
Nitish’s insistence on Congress being part of the initiative to send out the message that “we are in this together” apparently received Mamata’s nod during their 30-minute discussion at the state secretariat. “You do not have to worry about this. Everyone is together. The people of India will fight against BJP, and all parties will work together,” she later told reporters wanting to know her stand on working with Congress.
Describing the outcome of the meeting as “positive and constructive”, Nitish said, “We do not know what they (BJP) will do – change history, change everything. We have to remain alert; hence these discussions. Depending on need, we all will bring all parties together and discuss and decide the road ahead.”
In Lucknow, Nitish repeated in front of reporters what he claimed to have told Akhilesh – that his unity initiative against BJP should not be construed as aspiring to be the leader of the pack.
“Humko nahi banna hai…yeh baat achchi tarah se jaan lijiye. Hum sabko khali ek jut karne mein lage hain (I am not there to become the leader (of the opposition parties), please be clear about this. Am only working to bring everyone together),” the JD(U) founder said. “Once everyone gets on the same platform, they will decide who should lead.”
On whether he planned to meet ex-UP CM and BSP chief Mayawati as well, Nitish said he and Tejashwi made this trip to talk to the SP national president.

Akhilesh, seated beside Nitish and Tejashwi during the presser at the SP headquarters, said he was happy to be part of the endeavour to forge unity among parties that believed they could take on BJP and defeat it in next year’s general elections. The trio were in a closed-door meeting that lasted around 45 minutes.
“Indian democracy and the Constitution are under threat. We are with you in this campaign to oust BJP from government and save the Constitution, democracy and the country,” he told Nitish.

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Bihar CM Nitish Kumar arrives at Samajwadi Party Headquarters in Lucknow

To a question whether he planned to play the role Jayaprakash Narayan did during the movement against ex-PM Indira Gandhi’s government, Nitish said he and many others were “disciples of JP”.
The Bihar CM accused BJP, with whom he was in government in Bihar until August last year, of doing little except “false” publicity and propaganda. “Now, (these) people are planning to change India’s history. We have to come together to help India get rid of BJP,” he said.

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CM Nitish Kumar reiterates need for Opposition unity after meeting Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow

Nitish declared that the union of “socialist parties in UP and Bihar” would have a vast impact on the 2024 election results as the two states account for a total of 120 seats.
Akhilesh had deputed a delegation of senior functionaries, led by national general secretary Shivpal Yadav, to receive Nitish and Tejashwi at Lucknow airport and accompany them to the party headquarters.
In his latest outreach, Nitish has already met disqualified Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge, AAP chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, and Left leaders Sitaram Yechury and D Raja.

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With you in fight to defeat the BJP: Akhilesh Yadav after meeting Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi