The Congress on Thursday criticized Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s demand for opposition leaders to clarify their positions on the Centre’s ordinance ahead of the mega meeting in Patna. Kejriwal called for the discussion of the parties’ stance on the ordinance and the strategy to defeat it in Parliament at the meeting. The Congress questioned the Aam Aadmi Party’s attempt to set conditions for attending the opposition meeting, highlighting that such meetings aim to resolve matters and clarify positions. The meeting, hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, aims to forge a rainbow alliance of the opposition against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led government in preparation for the upcoming general elections.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who arrived in Patna, emphasized that the opposition parties would fight the BJP at the Centre collectively like a family in the next year’s Lok Sabha elections. Mamata Banerjee met with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) patriarch and former Chief Minister of Bihar, Lalu Yadav, and his son, Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, during her visit. The meeting, scheduled on Friday, will be attended by Congress, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, and others. Nitish Kumar has been spearheading efforts to bring all opposition parties together against the BJP government at the Centre. He has already held one-on-one meetings with several top opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, and NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar, among others.