Opposition Patna Meet: Infighting Surfaces Between Congress and AAP

Nitish Kumar, while addressing the press, attributed Kejriwal and Mann’s absence to them running late for a flight.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal arriving for the Patna Opposition meet with party leader Raghav Chadha. 

(Photo: PTI)

As the Patna meet of 16 Opposition parties concluded on Friday, 23 June, friction emerged between the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress.

AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann skipped the joint press conference addressed by 15 leaders including Bihar Chief Minister (CM) Nitish Kumar, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, and others.

Nitish Kumar, while addressing the press conference, attributed Kejriwal and Mann’s absence to them running late for a flight.

“Kejriwal left because he had to return to Delhi,” Nitish said.

AAP in a statement, however, said that it will not be part of any future Opposition gatherings that include the Congress until the party publicly opposes the Centre's contentious ordinance on the control of administrative services in Delhi.

Meeting Not To Discuss Delhi Ordinance: Congress

“Congress’ silence raises suspicions about its real intentions. In personal discussions, senior Congress leaders have hinted that their party might informally or formally abstain from voting on it in the Rajya Sabha. The Congress' abstention from voting on this issue will help the BJP immensely in furthering its attack on Indian democracy,” the statement read.

Raising a pitch for a united Opposition against the Bharatiya Janata party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress said that the meeting is not to discuss parliamentary issues such as the Delhi ordinance.

“Opposing it (ordinance) or proposing it does not happen outside, it happens in Parliament. Before Parliament begins, all parties decide what issues they have to work on together. They know it, and even their leaders come to our all-party meetings. I don't know why there is so much publicity about it outside," Kharge had earlier told reporters ahead of the meet.