<p>Opposition leaders are giving themselves a month to forge unity against the ruling BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections while assigning some top non-Congress leaders to reach out to some fence-sitters.</p>.<p>There is agreement among the parties not to delegitimise the concept of ‘Opposition unity’ even though they may end up fighting each other in some states like Kerala, Punjab and West Bengal and restrict the electoral animosity within the concerned state.</p>.<p>Discussions are also ongoing within the Opposition to highlight the demand for caste census against BJP’s religious polarisation though there are counter-arguments about relying more on the OBC politics. The first signal came during a meeting organised by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK supremo M K Stalin.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/congress-wont-allow-bjp-to-raise-one-nation-one-milk-slogan-says-jairam-ramesh-1208822.html" target="_blank">Congress won't allow BJP to raise 'One Nation, One Milk' slogan, says Jairam Ramesh</a></strong></p>.<p>These and other issues came up for discussion as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (JD-U) and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav (RJD) met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, which was seen as the first attempt to unite Opposition parties with the 2024 polls in mind.</p>.<p>Sources said the leaders agreed that they needed to speed up unity efforts. The target is to meet as many parties as possible within a month and see whether a bigger meeting could be called soon.</p>.<p>With some parties like Samajwadi Party, BSP, Trinamool Congress, AAP, YSR Congress and BJD not enthusiastic about negotiating with Congress, leaders like Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad would be roped in to persuade them to join the larger battle. Lalu, who is not keeping well, would work the phone lines if needed to bring in some parties with socialist leanings.</p>.<p>Sources said there would be frequent meetings in the coming months, not necessarily in Delhi. There would be smaller meetings nationwide among parties to chalk out a strategy and find common ground.</p>.<p>In Wednesday’s meeting, sources said, it was agreed that some “friendly fights” cannot be avoided, but the general agreement was that animosity should not spread to the national level, thus delegitimising the unity. Congress is fighting AAP in Punjab, while in Kerala, the Left will take on Congress. The Left-Congress combine could take on Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.</p>.<p>A senior Opposition leader said some fights would be in the Opposition’s favour as the fight among the Opposition would not help the BJP to emerge as the second main party. The leader cited Odisha, Kerala, West Bengal, Punjab and Telangana as examples as the fight between Congress and other parties is beneficial in ensuring that BJP does not emerge as a force.</p>
<p>Opposition leaders are giving themselves a month to forge unity against the ruling BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections while assigning some top non-Congress leaders to reach out to some fence-sitters.</p>.<p>There is agreement among the parties not to delegitimise the concept of ‘Opposition unity’ even though they may end up fighting each other in some states like Kerala, Punjab and West Bengal and restrict the electoral animosity within the concerned state.</p>.<p>Discussions are also ongoing within the Opposition to highlight the demand for caste census against BJP’s religious polarisation though there are counter-arguments about relying more on the OBC politics. The first signal came during a meeting organised by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK supremo M K Stalin.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/congress-wont-allow-bjp-to-raise-one-nation-one-milk-slogan-says-jairam-ramesh-1208822.html" target="_blank">Congress won't allow BJP to raise 'One Nation, One Milk' slogan, says Jairam Ramesh</a></strong></p>.<p>These and other issues came up for discussion as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (JD-U) and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav (RJD) met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, which was seen as the first attempt to unite Opposition parties with the 2024 polls in mind.</p>.<p>Sources said the leaders agreed that they needed to speed up unity efforts. The target is to meet as many parties as possible within a month and see whether a bigger meeting could be called soon.</p>.<p>With some parties like Samajwadi Party, BSP, Trinamool Congress, AAP, YSR Congress and BJD not enthusiastic about negotiating with Congress, leaders like Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad would be roped in to persuade them to join the larger battle. Lalu, who is not keeping well, would work the phone lines if needed to bring in some parties with socialist leanings.</p>.<p>Sources said there would be frequent meetings in the coming months, not necessarily in Delhi. There would be smaller meetings nationwide among parties to chalk out a strategy and find common ground.</p>.<p>In Wednesday’s meeting, sources said, it was agreed that some “friendly fights” cannot be avoided, but the general agreement was that animosity should not spread to the national level, thus delegitimising the unity. Congress is fighting AAP in Punjab, while in Kerala, the Left will take on Congress. The Left-Congress combine could take on Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.</p>.<p>A senior Opposition leader said some fights would be in the Opposition’s favour as the fight among the Opposition would not help the BJP to emerge as the second main party. The leader cited Odisha, Kerala, West Bengal, Punjab and Telangana as examples as the fight between Congress and other parties is beneficial in ensuring that BJP does not emerge as a force.</p>
