Sort out issues over tea, biscuits: Mamata to AAP, Cong
June 23, 2023 22:11
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday asked the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress to sort out their differences on the Delhi ordinance issue over tea and biscuits at a later date, reminding them that the Patna opposition meeting was not the ideal forum for such discussion, sources said.
They said Banerjee, herself on a day-long fast, was keen that the bickering over the ordinance does not derail the discussions and intervened in the matter when AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal insisted that the Congress make an announcement at the end of the meeting that it will support AAP on the issue.
During the meeting, Congress chairperson Mallikarjun Kharge in his speech gave an in-principle support to the AAP on the issue saying the party will not back anything that is unconstitutional, the sources said.
He said his party has a set mechanism for taking up issues and the announcement on it will be done at a later date, according to the sources.
At no point did Kejriwal threaten to walk out of the meeting, they added.
The sources also said that all the opposition party members in attendance sided with the Congress and stated that the party's line on the issue was a "reasonable" one.
Rahul Gandhi during his speech did not raise the ordinance issue, they said, adding he asserted he was attending the meeting with a clean slate "without any memory of past likes or dislikes with any of the parties in attendance".
He also said he and his party would do anything to keep the opposition together. Gandhi suggested that the Opposition would have to break the financial, institutional and constitutional monopoly of the BJP to defeat them.
"Incidentally, the West Bengal chief minister was sitting almost equidistant from Kejriwal and Gandhi. When the issue became heated, she intervened and asked them to have tea and biscuits. She said a lot of things can be resolved over a good cup of tea and biscuits," said the source.
During her address at the meeting, Banerjee said it was important for all parties to ensure support for the Congress wherever the party was the strongest. She said the BJP will be fighting not the opposition but the people of India.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad was given a rousing welcome by the opposition party leaders as he started his speech as the second speaker.
He suggested that for the 2024 general elections, the opposition fight should be led by the biggest party in each state. Requesting the Congress to be large-hearted, he appreciated the party's gesture to speak last after hearing everyone else.
Host and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was the first to speak, said while 15 opposition parties were in attendance, at least 10 more will be joining the ranks soon.
Kejriwal said for the 2024 elections, the motto should be "nation first, party second."
He said when parties give up seats for their opposition partners, their victory should be victory for the united front. He also said this was no time for expansion for parties and the focus should not just be the election, but agreement of issues. -- PTI
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