India: Opposition parties' 'informal meet' in Bengaluru ends without any major announcement

The dinner meeting of Opposition parties in the south Indian state of Karnataka's capital Bengaluru on Monday (July 17) ended without any major announcement.

Among the attendees were top Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, DMK's MK Stalin, AAP's Arvind Kejriwal, Janata Dal (U)'s Nitish Kumar, RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav and TMC's Mamata Banerjee.

Congress leader Pawan Khera told reporters, "Today there was no meeting, just an informal conversation took place. Dinner was also there which is still going on. We will meet again tomorrow and then will brief everything."

Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah received Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and party leader, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav at the venue of the Opposition dinner meeting in Bengaluru.

Siddaramaiah also received Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, AAP MP Sanjay Singh and AAP MP Raghav Chadha at the venue of the Opposition meeting.

JD(U) leader and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar also arrived for the Opposition dinner meeting.

This is the second time the Opposition parties are meeting before the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, in order to draft a roadmap to defeat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The meeting, which is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, is currently underway at Taj West End Hotel in Bengaluru.

On Tuesday, it will commence at about 11 am and will continue till 4 pm.

Congress has mustered support from 26 parties for the second opposition unity meeting to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The first opposition unity meeting was held in Patna last month.

Siddaramaiah slams BJP

Earlier in the day, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of the country, the economic condition of the country deteriorated.

While talking to reporters, he said, "BJP is the party which destroyed the economy of the country, not Opposition parties. After Narendra Modi became PM, the economic condition of the country was destroyed, prices were raised, farmers poor are in distressed condition and because of communal issues people are living in scary situations."

"BJP and PM Modi will not get a mandate this time, they will lose this time," he said.

He also claimed that the influence of PM Narendra Modi is weakening and that the decline of the BJP has begun in Karnataka.

"Didn't we defeat Modi in Karnataka, BJP's loss in all the places, where Modi campaigned? During the Karnataka assembly elections, PM Narendra Modi visited the state 28 times. The decline of the BJP has begun in Karnataka. We'll win the majority of seats in Lok Sabha 2024 polls, and BJP and NDA alliance parties will lose."

"Opposition has no face, no policy...no determination", says JP Nadda

BJP National President JP slammed the Opposition parties, saying that they were 'a congregation of corrupt parties which lacks determination'.

While addressing the media, JP Nadda said," This is just a photo op. This is the foundation of unity based on the politics of selfishness. This is a bunch of corruption and scams of the 10-year UPA government. Till now opposition have not shown any leader, no determination, no power to take decisions, no program, when it is done then we will talk."

"We never contest elections on other's weaknesses. Our ideology is based on the fact that if we find any trouble, we find our weakness and we try to win on our strength," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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