Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Monday and held discussions on a wide range of issues, inlcuding the possibility of bringing like-minded parties together ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, ANI reported. Kumar and Gandhi also discussed the current political situation in the country and strategy for the 2024 polls.
This is the first time the two leaders met after Nitish Kumar quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar and formed a Grand Alliance government with the RJD, Congress and outside support of the Left.
The meeting between Gandhi and Kumar at the former Congress chief's residence lasted almost an hour, PTI reported. Kumar was accompanied by Bihar Water Resources Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha.
Nitish Kumar's arrival in Delhi comes amid attempts by him to bring all opposition parties together as a united force against the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Kumar is likely to meet several Opposition leaders, including NCP's Sharad Pawar, AAP's Arvind Kejriwal, CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala, on Tuesday.
Before departing for New Delhi, Nitish Kumar called on RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav at the official residence of his wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi in Patna. Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav was also present.
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan lashed out at Kumar for visiting Delhi at a time when parts of Bihar was reeling under floods.
Paswan said a chief minister who ordered lathi-charge on those seeking jobs was on a three-day visit to Delhi with "prime ministerial ambitions".
"Instead of focusing on Bihar's development, he is busy trying to unite the Opposition," Paswan said in a tweet in Hindi.