Efforts for opposition unity pick up pace: Yechury after meeting Nitish Kumar

After his meeting with Congress leadership, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday held discussions with CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on the contours of Opposition unity with the latter saying that the seat adjustments will be made at the state level.

With the efforts to forge Opposition unity gathering pace, Kumar also met CPI General Secretary D Raja, who said the unity of secular-democratic forces is a must to protect our democracy and people.

Yechury said efforts for Opposition unity have picked up the pace and all secular democratic parties have to come together to defeat the BJP to save democracy and Constitution. He said talks are on with other parties and this process has gathered some momentum.

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He also refused to name the face of the grouping, saying that one face will emerge when the time comes. Asked whether Nitish would emerge as a Convenor of the group, he said the priority right now is to bring the maximum number of parties together.

Yechury ruled out a national-level pre-poll alliance, saying that there will be seat adjustments at the state level. Different states have their own peculiar political situation and it has to be factored in, he said when asked how Opposition unity could be pursued in states like West Bengal and Kerala.

“In Kerala, Congress and our party are arch rivals. The BJP is not in a fight there and cannot win seats. So the tactics will not be the same everywhere," he said.

DH on Wednesday reported that the Opposition parties are in agreement about some “friendly fights” though 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.

After the meeting, Raja tweeted, "had a meeting with JD(U) leader and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to discuss broad issues of opposition unity against RSS-BJP. The country is in turmoil and all sections of society are vocal against BJP misrule. Unity of secular-democratic forces is a must to protect our democracy and people."

The Left leaders' meeting with Nitish came a day after he held a meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi along with RJD's Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on taking forward unity efforts. Nitish also met AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday.