The opposition parties' meet at Patna did not decide on fielding a common prime ministerial candidate but have resolved to consolidate all democratic forces to defeat the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Friday.
All the parties that attended the meet were very clear that the BJP should not be allowed to win again, he said. "I had stressed that the parties should remain firm on their goal to defeat the BJP," the chief minister said upon his arrival here from Patna.
Briefing reporters on his visit, Stalin said he put forth seven suggestions including forming an alliance under the leadership of a party that wields influence in the state, and if this was not possible then seat sharing could be considered.
He also suggested that there should be no post-poll alliance, but a common minimum programme should be agreed upon, and common candidates should be nominated where required.
Expressing happiness over the meeting and the opposition's unity to send the BJP "packing home", Stalin said the meeting gave the hope that the BJP will be defeated in the Lok Sabha election.
"Pointing to the unity of secular parties, which was the reason for victory in Tamil Nadu, I emphasised the importance of unity at the national level. The BJP must not come back to power if democracy, secularism, and the poor and oppressed sections are to be protected," the chief minister said.
The June 23 meeting will pave the way to script history in which the opposition parties will win the 2024 polls, he said.
To a question, Stalin replied that he could not attend the press conference of the leaders as he had to catch the flight back to Chennai but he met the leaders of the opposition parties and expressed solidarity with them in achieving their collective goal.
Asked if the second meeting at Shimla next month was proposed because today's meeting did not make much progress, the chief minister replied saying that the unity of opposition parties had begun to take shape at Patna, and that the Shimla meeting would help to chalk out a strategy. "You will be updated regularly," he said.
-With PTI Input
