From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: The upcoming conclave of the opposition parties in Patna on June 23 will stop short of picking up a Prime Minister’s face, but it will explore the broader contours of forming a unified alliance.
The gathering next week will bring together senior leaders, including Shaad Pawar, who will play a pivoted role in bridging gaps ad charting a way forward to draft a common agenda for the stakeholders.
Sources have denied inclusion of any discussins on the prime ministerial candidate on the agenda. Instead, the primary focus of the gathering will e o decide a common minimum programme that facilitates collaboration among the parties in the run-up to thee Lok Sabha elections.
The conclavee is convened at the behest of Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal(U) chief Nitisjh Kumar, with coordination by his [party and the alliance parter RJD.
Nitish Kumar’s recent endeavours of reaching out the top leaders across the states sparked speculation of his potential candidacy for the PM’s post, but Nitish and his party has categorically denied harbouring such ambitions.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s name may be advanced for the Prime Ministership as the leader of the largest party, but the Congress sources said this may be done after a rapport reaches between the parties.
The Nitish group says the conclave is the first step to finalise a common agenda covering crucial issues such as inflation, unemployment, the government’s economic mismanagement, communal harmony, misuse of the government agencies and subversion of democracy.
