'Not Gathbandhan but Katbandhan' says Shehzad Poonawalla on Oppn meet

Taking a dig at the June 23 mega opposition meeting in Patna called to strategize and "defeat" the Bharatiya Janata Party in the next Lok Sabah elections, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Sunday said the opposition leaders had come together for their "own motives and issues".

"They (opposition leaders) all are together for their own motives and issues," he said.

Referring to the "fissures" within the Opposition, Poonawalla said, "This is not 'Gathbandhan' but 'Katbandhan' because they are not seen united after the meeting but showing differences and going away from each other".

He was referring to the ongoing tussle between the Congress and the Aam Admi Party over the Centres Ordinance pertaining to control of administrative services in the Capital.

After the conclave, Kejriwal skipped the joint press conference in Patna and reportedly threatened to give amiss to any such opposition unity efforts onwards in case the grand old party does not clear their stand on the Ordinance.

"They all are together for their own motives and issues. Everyone is seeing how this bridge of opposition unity is collapsing," Poonawalla, said, taking a dig at the opposition meeting.

The Opposition meeting decided to reconvene next month at Shima in the Congress-ruled state of Himachal Pradesh.

On Friday, the Opposition meeting had been called to forge opposition unity to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The opposition meeting was called by Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar which was attended by leaders of parties opposed to the BJP.

More than 15 opposition parties attended the meeting held at Nitish Kumar's official residence in Patna.

The Opposition parties picked Patna as a venue for its meeting as it represents the 1974 call of total revolution by Jayaprakash Narayan that toppled Indira Gandhi's majority government.