Tejashwi Yadav’s BIG claim: ‘Lalu Yadav, Nitish Kumar to meet Sonia Gandhi to UNITE opposition’

Patna: As part of their efforts to unite the Opposition parties ahead of the 202 Lok Sabha polls, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav will meet Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi soon. "Yes, once she comes back there will be a meeting. Both of them (RJD chief and Bihar CM) will go together (to meet her)", Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said in Patna.

This came a day after noted election strategist Prashant Kishor said there is a need for a "credible face" and mass movement to seek people`s vote in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and opined that meeting leaders of various political parties "would not make much of a difference".

Kishor said such meetings cannot be seen as Opposition unity or political development. He further said, "Those who don`t believe this need to wait and watch. It will certainly happen. I won`t comment on whatever someone says". 

When asked about the promise Nitish gave about providing jobs for youth under various arrangements in the state, Tejashwi further asserted, "we would definitely fulfil the promise of providing 20 lakh jobs. We are in the government and this will happen." 

Tejashwi Yadav reiterated that if all the Opposition parties unite then they will be successful in defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 general elections. "It is a good thing. It has been clearly said that if all of us are united, we will be successful (in defeating BJP)" Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav told media persons here when asked about CM Nitish Kumar`s recent meetings with Opposition leaders in Delhi. 

Kishor`s remarks came on the backdrop of his former ally Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar`s visit to the national capital recently to meet Opposition leaders. Kishor, who was earlier given the post of national president in Nitish Kumar`s Janata Dal (United) and was later expelled from the party, said, "Such meetings and discussions taking place will not change the political situation on the ground. I do not have such an experience. He is more experienced than me. But I do not see the meeting of some leaders individually or collectively, holding discussions or press conferences, as an Opposition unity or a political development."

"Unless you create a people`s movement and generate a popular narrative, form a formidable entity, and a credible face that can make the public believe that he can be a better alternative to the BJP, only then they (people) will vote for you," he said.

Nitish Kumar had recently met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

This came days after Nitish Kumar broke the alliance with the BJP in August and formed the government with RJD in Bihar. Earlier Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had also visited Bihar and met Nitish Kumar, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as part of efforts toward forging opposition unity.