The next Opposition meeting will be held in Bengaluru on July 13 and 14, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar announced on Thursday. In the June 23 huddle in Patna, it was decided that the meeting would take place in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla.

Sharad Pawar on Thursday said, “PM Modi has become restless after opposition parties’ meet in Patna”, referring to the first Opposition meet in which leaders of over 15 Opposition parties took part.

At the meet, the Opposition resolved to fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in a united manner to defeat the BJP at the Centre and work with flexibility by setting aside their differences.

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They decided on Shimla as the venue for the second meet to chalk out a joint strategy. However, they have now decided to meet in Bengaluru instead on July 13 and 14. A plan of action is expected to be formulated at the second meeting to be chaired by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

Over 32 leaders from various parties attended the first meeting hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his residence in Patna. While Mayawati (BSP), Naveen Patnaik (BJD), K Chandrashekar Rao (BRS) and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (YSRCP) were not invited, RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary did not attend the meeting due to a “pre-decided family programme”.

Also Read: ‘Gathbandhan of thugs, photo session’: BJP mocks Opposition’s show of unity in Patna

BJP mocks Opposition meet

As Opposition parties met in Patna, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expressed derision with Union Home Minister Amit Shah calling the meet a “photo session” and BJP MP Sushil Modi calling it a “gathbandhan (alliance) of thugs”.

While addressing a rally in Jammu, Amit Shah said, “Today, a photo session is underway in Patna. All opposition leaders are gathering at one place. They want to send the message that they will challenge the NDA, BJP and PM Modi. I want to tell them that join as many hands as you want, your unity is never going to be a possibility.”

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Training guns at the Opposition conclave, BJP MP Sushil Modi said, “Sitting together for tea does not mean that the Opposition is united. This is a ‘Gathbandhan of Thugs’. They are preparing to fool the country. They have no principle or policy and all are involved in corruption.”

Asking who will lead the bloc of Opposition parties in their battle against the BJP, former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “Nitish Kumar 2024 ke liye baaraat saja rahe hai Patna mai, baaraat me to dulha bhi hota hai, par is baaraat ka dulha kon hai? (Nitish Kumar is decorating the wedding procession for the 2024 elections in Patna, but who is the groom (PM contender). Everyone is calling themself a PM contender.”