As the Opposition leaders have come to share an unprecedented unity to defeat the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's video has been going viral. The first round of the Opposition leaders' meet was held on Friday - June 23 in Patna, Bihar and it was organized by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The meeting had seen the presence of a handful of Chief Ministers. 

Pledging their unity in Patna, the Opposition leaders discussed about their objective of defeating the BJP regime in the meeting. The Chief Ministers including MK Stalin - Tamil Nadu, Mamata Banerjee - West Bengal, Arvind Kejriwal - Delhi, Bhagwant Mann - Punjab, and the host Nitish Kumar of Bihar have come together to add more significance to the meeting. 

At least 15 opposition parties have taken part in the meeting and expressed solidarity to contest unitedly in the general elections to oust the BJP regime. Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi rub shoulders with the other opposition leaders. While the meeting lasted for over an hour, the leaders had addressed a press conference. 

While addressing a presser, the leaders announced that the Opposition parties have decided to jointly contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. By announcing their resolution, the leaders asserted that they will work with flexibility by setting aside their differences. Speaking at the press conference, Nitish Kumar said that the leaders will meet in the next few days to give final shape to their plan of contesting together.

Nitish Kumar said, "We had a good meeting and several leaders expressed their views during the meeting. 17 parties have decided to work together and contest the Lok Sabha elections unitedly." He further said that the opposition leaders are working in the national interest and accused the BJP of acting against the national interest as it was trying to challenge the country's history. 

It was further announced that the next round of meeting will be held in Shimla in Himachal Pradesh in July. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the next meeting of opposition leaders would be held in Shimla and stated, "We have decided to prepare a common agenda and will take decisions in the next meeting on how to move forward." 

"We will have to evolve separate plans for every state and we will work together to dethrone the BJP at the Centre", Kharge added. Speaking at the presser, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the first meet was organized in Patna as whatever starts from Patna will take the shape of the public movement. By citing that the opposition leaders are united to fight against BJP, Banerjee further said, "the BJP wants to change history but we will ensure that history is saved." 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "We may have some differences, but we have decided to work together with flexibility and will work to protect our ideology." Moments after the meeting, the Congress party has shared a video of Rahul Gandhi that has been going viral. In the video that displays Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress leader can be heard saying, "Mark my words. BJP will be taken down by the Congress party." 

Mark my words

"BJP will be taken down by the Congress party" pic.twitter.com/7YQPe206gu

— Congress (@INCIndia) June 23, 2023