Oppn must fight unitedly to remove BJP from power: Mallikarjun Kharge

Before leaving for the meeting of the opposition parties in Patna, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday, June 23, said that he wanted all parties to fight unitedly to remove the Union government led by the BJP from power. He also said that the Congress will decide on the ordinance issue of Delhi before the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Speaking to the media before leaving for the first meeting of like-minded parties in Patna, Kharge said, "We all want to fight together against the BJP and our agenda is to remove the BJP government by fighting unitedly. We want everyone to fight united and after going there we will get the opinion of everyone and a consensus will be reached. Rahul Gandhi has been trying for opposition unity and this meeting in Patna is part of that."

To a question about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's AAP threatening to walkout of the opposition meeting if they don't get the support of Congress over the ordinance, Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said, "I am not aware of this and he also knows that ordinance is not opposed outside. It is done in Parliament."

"When the Parliament session begins, then several parties decide on the agenda on which issues they need to take up and what to leave. Even their party leaders attend the all-party meeting in Parliament. I don't know why they are publicising this. Around 18 to 20 parties take decisions on what to oppose and support in Parliament. And we will take a decision on this (on supporting AAP against the Centre's ordinance) before the Parliament session," the Congress president added.

The first meeting of the opposition parties is scheduled in Patna to bring like-minded parties together ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The meeting will be attended by several top opposition parties, including Samajwadi Party, Janata Dal(United), Rashtriya Janata Dal, DMK, JMM, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP and others. Besides Kharge, former Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi will also attend the meeting.