Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (U) leader Nitish Kumar on Monday met West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. Kumar was accompanied by his deputy Tejashwi Yadav during the meeting which focused on all like-minded Opposition parties getting together for the big electoral battle next year.

CM Banerjee said that she has “no ego” regarding a grand alliance of anti-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parties and that it’s going to be the people vs BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections..

After the meeting, the three leaders addressed a joint press conference wherein they said the discussions were positive.

“We will go ahead together. We have no personal ego, we want to work together collectively”, Banerjee stated, adding, “I have made just one request to Nitish Kumar. Jayaprakash (Narayan) ji’s movement started from Bihar. If we have an all-party meeting in Bihar, we can then decide where we have to go next. But first, we have to give a message that we are united. I have said earlier, too, that I have no objections. I want BJP to become zero. They have become a big hero with the media’s support and lies,” she added.’

Also Read

“We have held talks, especially about the coming together of all parties and making all preparations ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Whatever will be done next, will be done in the nation’s interest. Those who are ruling now, have nothing to do. They are just doing their own publicity. Nothing is being done for the nation’s development”, the Bihar CM Kumar said.

The meeting comes days after Nitish Kumar had met Rahul Gandhi and Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi. At the press conference held after the meet, Kumar had said, “We will try to unite as many political parties as we can and move forward together”.

Also Read

While Rahul Gandhi claimed a ‘historic step’ in attempts to unite the opposition. “We will develop the vision of the opposition parties and move forward… we will stand together for the country,” said Rahul Gandhi – whose controversial disqualification from the Lok Sabha last month has spurred opposition unity.

Kumar and Yadav are later scheduled to fly to Lucknow to meet Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.