From BJP's 'Photo Session' Jibe To Oppn's 'Ye Darr Accha Hai' Counter-Attack: War Of Words Over Crucial Patna Meet

While Union Home Minister Amit Shah termed it the Opposition’s “photo session”, UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said the BJP can't stop thinking about the massive loss facing them in Maharashtra.

(From Left) Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: As the Opposition parties gathered for a crucial meeting in Patna, to chalk out the roadmap ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dubbed the “unity” as a façade. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar hosted the meeting that was attended by the leaders of most of the non-BJP parties, regional and national, in a bid to take on the BJP in the next general elections. Of the opposition leaders, Odisha chief minister Navin Patnaik, his Telangana counterpart K Chandrashekar Rao, and BSP supremo Mayawati were conspicuous by their absence. While Patnaik and KCR decided to give it a miss, Mayawati wasn't invited.

Slamming the Patna meeting, Union Home Minister Amit Shah termed it the Opposition’s “photo session” and asserted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s return with 300 plus seats is confirmed.

Here’s a look at who said what on the Opposition meet:

• Taking a dig at the Opposition parties, BJP national president JP Nadda said the leaders who were jailed by Indira Gandhi are welcoming her grandson. “Rahul Gandhi's grandmother Indira Gandhi had put Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar in jail but today they are welcoming Rahul Gandhi in Patna. I wonder as to what has happened in politics,” news agency ANI quoted Nadda as saying.
• Reacting on the meeting, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the dynast parties are forging an alliance to save their families. “In this meeting, all dynast parties are forging an alliance to save their families. Similar attempts were made in 2019 as well but to no avail and in 2024 also BJP will be making government with a complete majority,” Fadnavis said.
• Responding to Nadda's criticism of Uddhav Thackeray over attending the Opposition meeting, UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted, “The BJP President is speaking in Odisha and instead of speaking about the state is busy attacking Uddhav Saheb Thackeray! They clearly can’t stop thinking of the massive loss facing them in Maharashtra. ‘Ye darr acha hai'.”

The BJP President is speaking in Odisha and instead of speaking about the state is busy attacking Uddhav Saheb Thackeray! They clearly can’t stop thinking of the massive loss facing them in Maharashtra.
Ye darr acha hai. pic.twitter.com/3LLw4pqHVj

— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) June 23, 2023

• Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) chief Pappu Yadav said the meeting was for the safety of 140 crore people of the country. “This is not a meeting of the country’s opposition. This meeting is for the life and safety of 140 crore people of the country,” he said.
• Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, dubbing the meeting as a façade, said, “Will the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) compete in Delhi or would Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Congress collaborate in West Bengal? This Opposition unity is nothing but a farce.”
• Speaking about the meet, Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras said, “There is no vacancy for the post of Prime Minister in 2024. Opposition unity is a lie, it is just for photos. Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar fought against the Emergency imposed by Congress but now they are joining hands with them.”
• Taking a jibe at the Congress, Union Minister Smriti Irani said, “I especially thank Congress for publicly announcing that they cannot defeat PM Modi alone and that they need the support of others to do so.”
• Speaking on the meet, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said, “We definitely do not want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remain in power in 2024. But this meeting held today, what is the track record of all the leaders who have assembled? Isn’t it right that because of the Congress, the BJP came to power twice? Isn’t it right to say Nitish Kumar became chief minister because of alliance with BJP…?”

#WATCH | AIMIM President & MP, Asaduddin Owaisi attacks Opposition meeting, says, "What is the track record of all these political leaders who have assembled there?" pic.twitter.com/CrucBpjz3D

— ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2023

• It is to be noted that ahead of Friday’s key meeting, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Keshav Prasad Maurya had said the BJP will win more seats in 2024 that it did in 2014, while Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had asserted that the saffron party will be restricted to less than 100 seats if the all the Opposition parties, including the Congress, put up a united fight next year.