Congress to attend June 12 meeting of opposition parties in Patna: Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi, Jun 1: The Congress on Thursday said it will participate in the June 12 meeting of opposition parties in Patna but is yet to decide on who will attend the meeting.
Bihar Chief Minister and JDU leader Nitish Kumar has convened the meeting.
"The Congress will surely participate in the June 12 meeting of opposition leaders in Patna. However, who will participate is not decided. The Congress party will soon decide who will attend the meeting," AICC general secretary communications Jairam Ramesh told reporters here.
"But, the Congress is surely attending that opposition meeting," he asserted.
Rahul Gandhi is currently on a visit to the US and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge is yet to decide on whether he would represent the party at the Patna meeting.
The Congress has been claiming primacy in the opposition space, being the largest party which has a base in every state across India. Congress leaders have claimed that only their party can be the focal point of any joint opposition forum.
The June 12 meeting was fixed by Kumar in consultation with leaders of various parties and several chief ministers of opposition-ruled states. Senior leaders of opposition parties are expected to attend the meeting.
The Congress has been saying that this is a preliminary meeting and a part of the series of meetings planned to forge opposition unity.
Kumar met several opposition leaders last month in his bid to bring them together on one common platform to fight the BJP unitedly.
He had met Kharge and Rahul Gandhi last month and prior to that he had a meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
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Siddaramaiah, I will abide by Cong high command decision on leadership issue, says Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday said both he and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will abide by any decision takeb by the Congress high command on the leadership issue in the state.
Speaking to reporters after returning from Delhi, the Congress state president said, he has full faith in the party leadership and that it would take an approapriate decision at the appropriate time.
The remarks comes amid speculations within the party and political circles about a possible leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after May 4, when the results for assembly elections in four states and one union territory, along with bypolls to two assembly segments in the Karnataka are announced.
"I will not speak about political issues before the media. I have already said that when the time comes you will get to know. So I will not tell you," Shivakumar said in response to a question on discussions with the Congress high command during his Delhi visit over the last couple of days.
He asserted that there are no issues within the party, and whatever has been already decided will take place accordingly.
Responding to a question on senior Minister Satish Jarkiholi's reported statement about internal differences, the Deputy CM said, "nothing like that, they (high command) will do what they have to do at the appropriate time."
"There are no issues, we have faith in our party, they will do what they have to," he added.
Asked about the issue of leadership change as the government is about to complete three years in office, Shivakumar said, "... I have never discussed this issue. The CM and I have both said that we will accept whatever and whenever the high command decides, and we will abide by it."
He declined to comment when asked whether any "good news" can be expected by his birthday on May 15.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025. The speculation has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
Responding to a question on the BJP's criticism against the Congress government over its decision on internal reservation for Scheduled Castes, alleging injustice to several communities and questioning its intent behind the revised quota formula, Shivakumar said the BJP could not do anything on internal reservation while in power, but the Congress has kept its promise.
"We have found a solution and tried to do justice to all sections among SCs. We have fulfilled the promise made and every one should go together," he said.
Shivakumar warned his party workers against erecting flex banners for his birthday on May 15.
"For May 15, I want to tell everyone that no one should put up flex banners or advertisements for my birthday. If flex are installed I will ensure that cases are registered by authorities against those responsible, whether they are party workers or followers....no one should put such things on roads, this is my personal request," he said, adding that he has asked commissioners of the city corporations to register cases and impose heavy fines.
