Set aside differences, if we win in Bihar we will win country: Kharge to Cong workers

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday, June 23, urged party workers to set aside their differences and fight the 2024 general elections unitedly, asserting that "if we win in Bihar, we will win the country".

Addressing party workers and leaders at the Congress office at Patna ahead of the Opposition leaders' meet, Kharge lauded Rahul Gandhi for undertaking the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

"Bihar can never leave our ideology. If we win Bihar we will win in the country. Put aside all differences and stay united to save the country," he asserted.

He added, "We thought of speaking with leaders of all parties to take a step forward. We, therefore, are here for the meeting." 

Top leaders of Opposition parties will brainstorm at a meeting at Patna on Friday to chalk out a roadmap for the formation of an anti-BJP front for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, with sources saying that they would look to avoid the prickly leadership question and emphasis on common ground. Leaders of 15 parties including half-a-dozen chief ministers are expected to attend the deliberations.

A day before the crucial deliberations, fissures in the Opposition ranks came to the fore with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sources saying that the party will walk out of the meeting if the Congress does not promise its support against the Centre's ordinance on the control of administrative services in Delhi.

Meanwhile on Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday received a warm welcome from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar upon arrival in the state capital. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah arrived early in the morning.

Many other leaders like Mehbooba Mufti, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann and MK Stalin have been camping in the city since Thursday.

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray are also expected at the meeting which is scheduled to commence around noon.

With PTI inputs