17 oppn parties decide to fight 2024 together, AAP raps Congress

Leaders of 17 opposition parties on Friday resolved to fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections unitedly to defeat the BJP and work with flexibility by setting aside their differences and will meet in Shimla next month to chalk out a joint strategy. Addressing a joint press conference after an almost four-hour meeting during which leaders of these parties expressed their views, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said they will meet in the next few days to give final shape to their plan of fighting together. "We had a good meeting and several leaders expressed their views during the meeting. Seventeen parties have decided to work together and contest the Lok Sabha elections unitedly," he told reporters.. Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK head MK Stalin were absent from the joint press conference.

Later, the AAP said it will not be part of any future Opposition gatherings until the Congress publicly opposes the Centre's contentious ordinance taking away the Delhi government's control of administrative services. Except Congress, 11 other parties opposed Delhi ordinance, 'suspicion' about its real intentions: AAP said  after opposition meet. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann attended the opposition meeting. However, AAP leaders were not present at the joint press conference held at the conclusion of the meeting.