We are going to defeat BJP together, says Rahul Gandhi ahead of Opposition meet

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addresses a gathering during a felicitation function, at Sadaqat Ashram in Patna. Pic/PTI

Ahead of Opposition meet, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said all Opposition parties are going to defeat the BJP in the 2024 general elections unitedly, reported news agency PTI.

Accusing the BJP of working to "divide India and spread hate and violence", Rahul Gandhi asserted that a fight of ideologies is going on in India.

On one hand, there is the Congress' 'Bharat Jodo' ideology and on the other the BJP and RSS' 'Bharat Todo' ideology, Rahul Gandhi said.

"You know that hate cannot be countered with hate. It can be defeated only with love. The Congress is working for uniting the country and spreading love," he was quoted as saying by PTI.

"That is why we have come to Bihar because the DNA of the Congress is in Bihar," Gandhi said.

"All Opposition parties have come here and together we are going to defeat the BJP," the former Congress chief said, adding, "In Karnataka, the BJP leaders gave speeches and went everywhere but the result is there for you to see."

"As soon as the Congress stood united, the BJP disappeared in Karnataka. I am saying it from this stage that the BJP will be nowhere in Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and the Congress will win," Rahul Gandhi claimed.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday received a warm welcome from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar upon arrival in the state capital for a crucial opposition meeting.

Rahul Gandhi, who is in Bihar for the first time after the state assembly polls of 2020, was accompanied by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and general secretary in charge of organisation, K C Venugopal.

Nitish Kumar, accompanied by JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan, drove to the Jayprakash Narayan airport, half-a-kilometer from his residence, to receive the visitors.

The airport premises has been, since morning, chock-a-block with Congress workers and supporters, eager to catch a glimpse of Gandhi, the response of whose 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' has infused the cadre with fresh vigour.

Upon landing in the city, Gandhi drove to Sadaqat Ashram, the Bihar Congress headquarters, to address party workers before attending the opposition meet.

The nearly three kilometers long route was dotted with banners inscribed with the slogan 'muhabbat ki dukaan' which became popular during 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in which Gandhi had asserted that the Congress stood for inclusive politics, in contrast with alleged divisiveness of BJP.

The BJP, on its part, tried to cock a snook at its principal adversary whose woes like disqualification appear to have only added to his political stature.

Close to the party's office here was a gigantic poster, not owned up by any BJP leader, that sought to berate Gandhi, likening him to Shahrukh Khan's character in the movie 'Devdas'.

Rahul Gandhi's arrival at the airport was followed, shortly, by CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and working presidents Supriya Sule and Prafull Patel.

The city has been teeming with political bigwigs, pouring in from all parts of the country, who are expected to chalk out a joint strategy for taking on the formidable BJP in next Lok Sabha elections.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah arrived early in the morning.

Many other leaders like Mehbooba Mufti, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann and MK Stalin have been camping in the city since Thursday.

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray are also expected at the meeting which is scheduled to commence around noon.

(With inputs from PTI)