Wider alliance of anti-BJP parties necessary: NCP leader Nawab Malik after Pawar-Kishor meet

A day after election strategist Prashant Kishor met NCP chief Sharad Pawar, a spokesperson of the party on Saturday said there is a need to have a "wider alliance" of political parties against the ruling BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sbha polls.

Kishor met Pawar at the latter's residence in Mumbai on Friday. The meeting, which lasted around three hours, sparked speculation in political circles. However, what transpired during the meeting could not be known.

Talking to PTI, NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik said, "There is a need to form a wider alliance of political parties against the BJP ahead of the next general elections. NCP president Sharad Pawar had himself spoken about the need to have a national alliance of all parties to take on the BJP, and had said he would try to bring together all such forces."

Also read: Political strategist Prashant Kishor meets Sharad Pawar, sets off political speculation

"Political strategist Prashant Kishor is well-versed with the data and statistics...During their three-hour long deliberations, this surely has come up for consideration," he said. Last month, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had stressed the need to have an alliance of opposition parties at the national level and said that he had discussed the issue with Sharad Pawar.

Prior to that, he had also said that there is a need to restructure the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) so that it emerges as a strong alternative to the BJP, and the new front should be led by a senior leader like Pawar.