Differences among parties over venue delaying joint Opposition meet

Differences among parties in holding the joint Opposition meeting in Patna is delaying an announcement on the venue and date of the much awaited deliberations even as Congress and JD(U) leaders on Monday said a final call is expected in a day or two.

After Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a meeting with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and top party leader Rahul Gandhi, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal and JD(U) national president Lalan Singh told reporters that the the venue and date of the expected meeting will be announced in a day or two

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Kharge tweeted after the meeting at his residence in the evening, "the country will be united now. The strength of democracy is our message. Rahul Gandhi and myself discussed the current political situation with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today and took forward the process of giving a new direction to the country."

There has been speculation that the meeting would be held in Patna with Nitish playing the host. Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is unwilling to give Congress the pole position in the Opposition, had suggested to Nitish that he should host the Opposition meet in Patna.

However, sources said, there are some parties which are uncomfortable with the idea as it would send a signal that Nitish is emerging as the face of the Opposition grouping. There are also misgivings in some sections about Nitish meeting a host of Opposition leaders and trying to project himself as the convenor of the Opposition grouping.

Congress has not officially revealed its mind on the venue, as it does not want to derail the process. A section of Opposition parties, which is positive towards Congress, wants the meeting to be held in Delhi.

However, the question will remain on the host. Congress is unlikely to invite AAP, which may also not be keen to accept an invitation from the main Opposition party.

There were some unofficial discussions between leaders about the venue but sources said, there was no concrete decision emerged.

When asked whether the meeting would be held in Patna, a senior Opposition leader told DH that he does not expect it to be held in the Bihar capital or at least he could say that such a decision would face stiff resistance.

Nitish, who has met a host of Opposition leaders since April 12, would like to have the meeting in Patna but one should not forget that there were towering leaders like NCP's Sharad Pawar and DMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, the leader said.