Opposition leaders gather at RJD office in Patna for key Mahagathbandhan talks

Patna (Bihar) [India], April 17 (ANI): Leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation and other opposition parties convened at the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) headquarters in Patna on Thursday to begin discussions within the Mahagathbandhan alliance.
The meeting involves more formal deliberations, focusing primarily on seat-sharing arrangements and the formulation of a Common Minimum Programme ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar.
Speaking to the reporters, Kunal, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation leader, said, "These are preliminary discussions (on seat sharing). We will have to talk about forming a Common Minimum Programme and set an agenda."
Kunal further added," There are several issues across the country, across the state, for which we will have to think about together...Tejashwi is the leader of the biggest party...A Mahagathbandhan government will be formed..."
Meanwhile, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain launched a sharp attack on the Mahagathbandhan, calling it a "complete flop show" and predicting a big defeat for the alliance in the upcoming Bihar elections.
"They have no motive to sit down. This is going to be a complete flop show because we are saying that we will go to the elections under the leadership of Nitish Kumar, but the people of Mahagathbandhan are not ready to say that they will go under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav," Hussain said.
Earlier today, Tejashwi Yadav met with Congress to strategise the agenda for winning the upcoming Bihar election.
"These leaders will meet, but it is not going to get hearts completely. The Congress party is divided against itself. The Congress party is not ready to consider Tejashwi Yadav a leader, and Tejashwi Yadav is not ready to give seventy seats to the Congress party," he added.
He also pointed to internal contradictions within the alliance. Hussain further claimed, "This time, the RJD is going to get less than twenty-three seats. And our alliance, which will fight under the leadership of Nitish Kumar, is going to cross 200. We are definitely going to form the government in Bihar."
Slamming the INDIA alliance, Union Minister Nityanand Rai too called the meeting the "Ghamandia" alliance.
He claimed that there is an internal conflict between Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and that Tejashwi Yadav was engaged in corrupt, dynasty-based politics. He also criticised Congress for promoting Kanhaiya Kumar, referring to him as a leader of what he termed the "Bharat Tere Tukde Honge" group.
"It is the meeting of the 'Ghamandia' alliance. There is a clash between Tejashwi Yadav and Congress. Tejashwi Yadav is leading an extremely corrupt political dynasty. Kanhaiya Kumar, promoted by the Congress, is the leader of the 'Bharat Tere Tukde honge' gang," Rai said.
A high-stakes battle is expected to take place in Bihar, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising Janata Dal (United) led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and the Bharatiya Janata Party, competing against the Mahagathbandhan, comprising the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and left parties. The Bihar Assembly elections are due to be held later this year. (ANI)