Bihar Opposition puts up united face

The Opposition in Bihar attempted at putting up a united front on Thursday as senior leaders of non-NDA parties stressed on the "need to stop the BJP's juggernaut in 2019 to save the country".

The Opposition leaders had gathered at the "BJP Bhagao, Desh Bachao" rally organised by the Communist Party of India (CPI), Bihar, at Patna's historic Gandhi Maidan on Thursday.

While the Congress was represented by senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee president Madan Mohan Jha, Left parties were represented by Dipankar Bhattacharya, Mohammad Salim and Satya Narayan Singh among others. Former Minister Sharad Yadav also participated in the rally. However, while the RJD, the main Opposition party in the state, was represented by some senior state leaders, the Leader of the Opposition in Bihar Legislative Assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav skipped the event.

Azad hit out saying Bihar was the first state which was being run by a "kidnapped CM". "This is the same Gandhi Maidan where Mahagathbandhan was formed and Nitish Kumar was made the chief minister. But, the BJP kidnapped him," he said and added that all Opposition parties should unite with a renewed energy.

Azad also listed demonetisation and implementation of GST as "failures of the NDA Government at the Centre".

Speaking on the occasion, former JNU Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar said it was not difficult to defeat the saffron party if the Opposition fought unitedly. "We will not stop till we defeat them and save the country," he said and added, "Today our constitutional values are being attacked and the constitutional institutions are being weakened and it is upon the youth to bring about a change."

The leaders resonated that Bihar could play a major role in bringing about a change as this is the land which gave birth to several revolutions. Former Minister Yadav said Nitish had broken the trust of the people and that the democracy was in danger. "If the Modi government returns to power at Centre, India will no longer remain a democracy," he said urging the people to vote for the "democratic parties of the country".