Opposition INDIA Bloc To Hold Country-Wide Programmes On Gandhi Jayanti: Nitish Kumar

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar claimed that the BJP-led NDA was rattled by the ‘unity of the opposition’ and, therefore, the central government has convened later this month a special session of Parliament.

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Updated on: 2 September 2023 9:04 am

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during Monsoon Session at Bihar Assembly in Patna.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that the opposition coalition INDIA will be holding country-wide programmes on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on October 2.

Without revealing details of the proposed programmes, the leader of the JD(U), a constituent of INDIA, said that a decision in this regard was taken at the just concluded conclave of the opposition alliance in Mumbai, reported PTI.

Kumar claimed that the BJP-led NDA was rattled by the “unity of the opposition” and, therefore, the central government has convened later this month a special session of Parliament, the agenda for which has not been revealed, the report said.

"We have taken a resolution that the INDIA alliance will celebrate Gandhi Jayanti across the country,” he was quoted as having said.

“The INDIA alliance has rattled the ruling BJP which has forced the Central government to explore the possibility of holding assembly and national elections simultaneously. The move betrays panic in the BJP after they saw the unity of opposition parties under the INDIA coalition,” Kumar was quoted as having said.

The chief minister, who returned from Mumbai after attending the INDIA conclave last night, asked why the Central government was not talking about the delay in the decadal census, the report said.

“It has not begun the census so far which. But, as per norms, it should have been completed long back. This government has time for all other things but not for the caste survey and census,” he was quoted as having said in the report.

The Nitish Kumar government got a caste survey done in Bihar after the Centre made it clear that it would not conduct separate headcounts for social groups other than SCs and STs, the report mentioned.

"Convening a special session of Parliament indicates that they are thinking of holding early polls, the possibility of which I have seen and shared with you all," Kumar said, the report mentioned.

The Parliament, which was adjourned last month after the monsoon session, will meet from September 18 to 22 for a special session.