Page 8 - The Indian EYE 050523

NATION MAY 05, 2023 | The Indian Eye 8

As Nitish Kumar and Congress

intensify unity moves, Modi calls

them “corrupt”

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar once again retorted that he is having talks with several people for uniting
Opposition forces against the BJP-led government at the Centre for Lok Sabha polls in 2024

OUR BUREAU president Mallikarjun Kharge and
former MP Rahul Gandhi in the na-
Guwahati/New Delhi
tional capital.
n a bid to put up a combined chal- The efforts are seen as the major
lenge against the BJP at the Cen- step to laying the groundwork for a
Itre in next year’s Lok Sabha elec- grand Opposition alliance ahead of
tions, a meeting of 11 political parties, next year’s Lok Sabha elections.
spearheaded by the Congress’s As- Meanwhile, Prime Minister Na-
sam unit, was held in Guwahati on rendra Modi hit out at the Opposi-
Thursday. Assam Pradesh Congress tion parties, and said no matter how
Committee (APCC), which hosted big an alliance the “corrupt people”
the meeting in Guwahati, urged all make, his fight against corruption
like-minded Opposition forces to and nepotism will continue.
set aside their differences and close The Prime Minister was address-
ranks in the interest of the broader ing the Republic Summit at Hotel at
goal of unseating the BJP from power Taj Palace here in the national cap-
in the 2024 general elections. ital on Wednesday. PM Modi said
Interestingly, however, the that government procurement was a
All-India United Democratic Front big source of corruption in the coun-
(AIUDF) led by perfume baron try. Now the GeM portal has trans-
Badruddin Ajmal, was not invited to formed it. Faceless taxation and GST
the meeting. have blocked corrupt practices.
Senior Congress leaders as well “When such honesty prevails,
as representatives of 10 other Op- it is natural for the corrupt to feel
position parties were present in the discomfort and they plan to destroy
meeting. According to sources, the the honest system. This would have
discussions centered around strate- perhaps succeeded if it was against
gies to defeat the BJP in the next Lok Modi alone, but they know that they
Sabha polls. are facing common citizens. No mat-
AICC general secretary Jitendra ter how big an alliance these corrupt
Singh and Assam Congress president people cobble, the attack on corrup-
Bhupen Kumar Borah were also tion will continue,” said the Prime
present at the meeting. Minister.
“A total of 11 political parties Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar exchanges greetings with Recalling his participation in
were represented at the meeting. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, at Nabanna in Howrah on Monday. the Republic Summit in 2019 with
Apart from the Congress, the oth- the theme ‘India’s Moment’, the
er political parties were the JD(U), Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav is also seen (ANI) Prime Minister said that it had the
NCP, Raijor Dal, RJD, TMC, Assam background of the people’s man-
Jatiya Parishad, CPI, CPI (M), CPI “I have told you earlier that we Earlier, Kumar reached Lucknow to date when the citizens had elected a
(ML), and Jatiya Dal Assam. Several held talks with several people and meet Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh government with an overwhelming
issues were discussed in the meeting talks are yet to be done with some Yadav on April 24. That time Sama- majority and stability for the second
and few decisions were taken as well,” others. After that, it will be decid- jwadi Party’s National General Sec- time in a row.
the Assam Congress president said. ed what needs to be done. For now, retary Ram Gopal Yadav and Shivpal “The country realized that In-
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish elections are underway and many of Singh Yadav also remained present dia’s moment is now here”, the Prime
Kumar once again retorted that he the parties are busy with that once in the meeting. Minister said.
is having talks with several people it gets over after that discussion will Later, Kumar left for West Ben- Throwing light on this year’s
while it is underway with some oth- take place. Some are saying (to hold gal to meet his counterpart Mamata theme ‘Time of Transformation’, the
er leaders of like-minded parties for opposition meeting) in Patna but Banerjee at her office in the State Prime Minister said that citizens can
uniting Opposition forces against the it will be decided after talking with secretariat ‘Nabanna’ in Kolkata. now witness the transformation on
BJP-led government at the Centre everyone,” said Bihar CM while in- Earlier on April 12, Nitish Kumar the ground which was envisioned 4
for Lok Sabha polls in 2024. teracting with reporters on Saturday. had met with Congress national years earlier.

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