West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has urged AAP and Congress to sort out their differences on the Delhi ordinance issue after the mega-Opposition Bihar meet.
According to the news agency PTI, Banerjee has urged both the parties to sort out their differences on the issue over tea and biscuits at a later date, reminding them that the Patna opposition meeting was not the ideal forum for such discussion.
“Banerjee, herself on a day-long fast, was keen that the bickering over the ordinance does not derail the discussions and intervened in the matter when AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal insisted that the Congress make an announcement at the end of the meeting that it will support AAP on the issue,” it mentioned.
It said during the meeting, Congress chairperson Mallikarjun Kharge in his speech gave an in-principle support to the AAP on the issue saying the party will not back anything that is unconstitutional.
Kharge as per the report said his party has a set mechanism for taking up issues and the announcement on it will be done at a later date.
“At no point did Kejriwal threaten to walk out of the meeting,” the report quoted sources as having said.
“All the opposition party members in attendance sided with the Congress and stated that the party's line on the issue was a reasonable one,” the report added.
It added: “Rahul Gandhi, during his speech, did not raise the ordinance issue…he was attending the meeting with a clean slate without any memory of past likes or dislikes with any of the parties in attendance.”
"Incidentally, the West Bengal chief minister was sitting almost equidistant from Kejriwal and Gandhi. When the issue became heated, she intervened and asked them to have tea and biscuits. She said a lot of things can be resolved over a good cup of tea and biscuits," the report quoted sources as having said.
Banerjee as per the report said it was important for all parties to ensure support for the Congress wherever the party was the strongest.
She said the BJP will be fighting not the opposition but the people of India, the report said.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad was given a rousing welcome by the opposition party leaders as he started his speech as the second speaker, the report said.
He suggested that for the 2024 general elections, the opposition fight should be led by the biggest party in each state, it added.
Host and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was the first to speak, said while 15 opposition parties were in attendance, at least 10 more will be joining the ranks soon, it said.
Kejriwal said for the 2024 elections, the motto should be "nation first, party second”, the report said.
The opposition parties all agreed that they will not have a prime ministerial face as of now, it said.
