Rahul Gandhi, Mamata, Kejriwal Among Top Leaders To Attend Mega Opposition Meet On June 23: JD(U)

The much-awaited meeting of Opposition parties in Patna was postponed from June 12 to June 23 in view of absence of Rahul Gandhi, who is on a visit to the US.

JD(U) chief Lalan Singh on Wednesday confirmed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee as well as her rival, the Left Front, would attend the much-awaited meeting of opposition parties in Patna on June 23. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK's MK Stalin are among the top leaders who would attend the meeting, which was postponed from June 12.

"The opposition meeting will be held on June 23 in Patna. All opposition parties have agreed to this...Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, Uddhav Thackeray, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, CPI Gen Secy D Raja, Sitaram Yechury and Dipankar Bhattacharya will attend the meet," ANI quoted Lalan Singh as saying.

The TMC and Left Front have been bitter rivals in Bengal and it remains to be seen how things pan out as Mamata and Yechury share the statge in Patna.

The meeting, which has been called to discuss Opposition unity ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls, was postponed following requests from Congress, DMK and CPM. Rahul Gandhi is currently in the US on a three-city tour and will be available only after June 15.

Moreover, due to health concerns, Sonia Gandhi is currently overseas and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is accompanying her.

READ | Opposition Parties' June 12 Patna Meet Deferred: Report

The meeting is the brainchild of Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar, who has been spearheading the campaign to unite Opposition parties to forge an alliance against the BJP-led NDA for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The decision to convene a meeting in Patna was finalised when Nitish Kumar, along with his deputy and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, met Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in April as well as in May.

Besides the Congress leaders, Nitish Kumar has also met Sharad Pawar, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Odisha Chief Minister and BJD leader Naveen Patnaik, former Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackaeray and others in a bid to bring all the like-minded parties together.