July 17, 2026 03:06 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
'Why introduce a new language in Class 9?' Supreme Court questions Centre's policy | 'Save Sonam Wangchuk's life': Delhi High Court to Centre as hunger strike enters Day 19 | Atul Kulkarni observes one-day fast in support of Sonam Wangchuk, urges Centre to initiate dialogue | Argentina stun England with late rally to storm into FIFA World Cup 2026 final | 'He could die in two days': Delhi HC plea seeks force-feeding of Sonam Wangchuk as fast enters Day 18 | 'Tonight's defeat is hard to take': Emmanuel Macron reacts after France crash out of World Cup, congratulates Spain | Spain cruise past France to storm into FIFA World Cup 2026 final with clinical 2-0 victory | Taslima Nasrin announces Kolkata return after 20 years to attend literary event at Rabindra Sadan | 'We must not watch one of our greatest minds be sacrificed': Zeenat Aman backs Sonam Wangchuk, urges govt to open dialogue | 'I don't want Phunsukh Wangdu to die': '3 Idiots' star Omi Vaidya's emotional appeal for Sonam Wangchuk

Nitish accepts lunch date with Modi, skips Sonia's invite

| | May 27, 2017, at 04:47 am
New Delhi, May 26 (IBNS): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday skipped meeting with oppositions parties but accepted luncheon planned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in honour of Mauritian premier Pravind Jugnauth on Saturday, setting off speculation that the Janata Dal United (JD-U) might break away from the Grand Alliance.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on behalf of the united opposition in national politics said that they will support any consensus candidate decided by the government for the upcoming presidential election.

After the meeting of 17 opposition parties across the country, Banerjee said: "Let us wait for the consensus candidate and the name. If it suits all of us then everybody (opposition) will support the candidate. "

Banerjee stressed on the 'secularism' as a condition to support the candidate decided by the government, otherwise the Opposition would form a committee to propose a name for the election.

Revealing not much, Banerjee said that no name has been discussed in the all party meet for the election of the ceremonial head of the country.

The meet was hosted by the Congress president Sonia Gandhi and attended by several regional parties including the arch rivals in Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury was present in the meet.

Other opponent leaders used the stage for an unified opposition as a tool to criticise the central government for their policies.

While RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav blamed Modi government for the dominance of Pakistan across borders, Mayawati raised the issue of plight of Dalits, poor and farmers evident in the last three years of BJP-led government.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.