The Evening Wrap: Focus on uniting opposition, say Lalu and Nitish after meeting Sonia

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Sunday and pitched for bringing all opposition parties together to defeat the BJP in 2024. The meeting at Gandhi’s 10 Janpath residence is being considered very crucial in forging an opposition unity as efforts are on to reconcile differences between the Congress and some regional parties that have been at loggerheads traditionally. This was Kumar’s first meeting with Gandhi since he severed ties with the BJP and joined hands with the RJD and the Congress to form the government in Bihar in August. This was also Prasad’s first active political engagement in a long time. He has been ailing for some time now. After the meeting, Lalu Prasad told reporters, “We have to bring all opposition parties together to defeat the BJP. The Congress is in the process of electing its new president and Sonia Gandhi told us we will meet again after the election.” Kumar said there is a need for all opposition parties to join hands and work together to take the country forward. “All opposition parties on the same page in the fight against the BJP and discussion on a concrete plan of action will happen later after the election for the post of Congress president,” he told reporters after the meeting. The nomination process for the election to the Congress president’s post is underway and the polling, if needed, is scheduled for October 17. Earlier in the day, Kumar called for uniting all opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left, to take on the BJP and said this “main front of opposition” will ensure that the saffron party loses badly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. If all non-BJP parties unite, then they can get rid of those who are working to destroy the country, Kumar said at a rally organised by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Haryana to mark former deputy prime minister Devi Lal’s birth anniversary. INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala, Shiromani Akali Dal’s Sukhbir Singh Badal, both with a long history of fighting the Congress, were on the stage with other senior leaders such as NCP’s Sharad Pawar, CPM’s Sitaram Yechury and Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav was also on the stage in what was seen as a step towards unity among non-BJP parties. However, no one from the Congress attended the rally. Ashok Gehlot loyalists meet ahead of Congress Legislature Party meeting, want him to remain CM Ahead of the Congress Legislature Party meeting on Sunday evening, MLAs considered close to CM Ashok Gehlot met under the leadership of Cabinet Minister Shanti Dhariwal in what is seen as a message to the high command to pick a Gehlot-loyalist as his successor. The meeting is also seen as an attempt to thwart the possibility of senior party leader Sachin Pilot being made the next CM. Some participants said Gehlot’s successor should be someone who was instrumental in saving the government during the political crisis in 2020 and not someone who was involved in toppling it, a veiled reference to Mr. Pilot. “If the decision is not taken keeping the MLAs’ sentiments in mind, the government will be in danger,” independent legislator and advisor to the Chief Minister Sanyam Lodha said after the meeting. Another leader Govind Ram Meghwal said Gehlot can shoulder both roles, that of the chief minister as well as the party’s national president. He said if Gehlot does not remain the chief minister, the party will face a major trouble in winning the next Assembly elections. Gehlot is expected to quit as Rajasthan CM if he wins the election to the post of the Congress president, as the party has a ‘one-man one-post’ policy. Earlier in the day, Gehlot said a one-line resolution stating all Congress legislators have full faith in the party president’s decision on his successor is likely to be passed during the Legislature Party meeting. Also sparking buzz about a possible change in leadership in Rajasthan, Gehlot said he had held different constitutional posts for 40 years and the new generation should get a chance now, in an indication that he was not averse to the party picking Pilot as his successor. He said that he had made it clear to the party high command earlier in August that retaining power in the state was important, irrespective of who was the CM. Mann ki Baat | Chandigarh airport to be named after Bhagat Singh, says PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Chandigarh airport will be renamed after Shaheed Bhagat Singh as a tribute to the great freedom fighter. In his Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast where he referred to diverse issues, Modi spoke of climate change which he said is a major threat to marine ecosystems and also expressed concern about the “disturbing” menace of litter on beaches. “It becomes our responsibility to make serious and continuous efforts to tackle these challenges,” he said. He also paid tributes to BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay, saying he was a profound thinker and a great son of the country. Modi said that 130 crore Indians were filled with pride over the return of cheetahs to the country. He said a task force will monitor them and later it will be decided when people can see them. He hailed September 28 as an important day of ‘Amrit Mahotsav’ when the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh will be celebrated. “Just before the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh, an important decision has been taken as a tribute to him. It has been decided that the Chandigarh airport will now be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh. It had been in the waiting for a long time,” he said. He congratulated the people of Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana, and the entire country for this decision. Just a few days ago, the country had made a similar effort by setting up the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on Kartavya Path and now the name of Chandigarh Airport after Shaheed Bhagat Singh is another step in that direction, he noted. China’s Communist Party says all delegates elected for next month’s key Congress under guidelines set by President Xi The countdown for next month’s key Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) began as the ruling party announced that all delegates totalling nearly 2,300 were “elected” for the once-in-a-five year meeting in which President Xi Jinping is widely expected to get endorsed for a record third term. As many as 2,296 delegates were “elected” to attend the upcoming 20th National Congress of the CPC to be held on October 16, official media reported, citing a statement by the party in Beijing. Scotching rumours and speculation over tensions within the ruling party over Xi’s continuation for an unprecedented third term, the statement said that the delegates were elected “under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” and in accordance with the Party’s Constitution, adopting methods required by the CPC Central Committee. Xi, 69, himself was “elected” as a delegate to the Congress in April this year, according to the party’s earlier announcement. Among the delegates are party members both in leadership positions and working on the frontline, a considerable number of female Party members and those from ethnic minority groups, as well as those from various sectors including the economy, science and technology, national defence, judicial, procuratorial and public security sectors, education, publicity, culture, health care, sports and social administration, it said. The Congress, in which Mr. Xi is expected to get endorsed for an unprecedented third term, is being held amid a big purge of top security officials stated to be part of a “political clique” opposed to the Chinese President. Also, three security officials were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve this week for corruption, raising eyebrows about the sudden surge of punishments ahead of the Congress. The CPC holds a Congress every five years but the upcoming Congress is regarded as significant, as it is a leadership change year for the century-old party. Xi, heading the party, the military and Presidency, is due to complete his 10-year tenure. As per the norm widely followed since the death of party founder Mao Zedong in 1976, all predecessors of Xi strictly followed a 10-year tenure keeping up with the directive of Mao’s successor Deng Xiaoping. In Brief: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who concluded a week-long visit to the United Nations, said it would be premature to comment on positions countries, including India, are taking on the issue of whether any permanent membership for India to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) came with veto power. India has been campaigning hard, including this past week, for a permanent seat on the Council. While a number of countries have shown support for India’s membership, including the U.S. and Russia, the question remains open, if this comes with veto rights. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 25 SEPTEMBER 2022 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Focus on uniting opposition parties to defeat BJP, say Lalu and Nitish after meeting Sonia Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad [met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi]( on Sunday and pitched for bringing all opposition parties together to defeat the BJP in 2024. [Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar with RJD chief Lalu Prasad after their meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on September 25, 2022. ] The meeting at Gandhi’s 10 Janpath residence is being considered very crucial in forging an opposition unity as efforts are on to reconcile differences between the Congress and some regional parties that have been at loggerheads traditionally. This was Kumar’s first meeting with Gandhi since he severed ties with the BJP and joined hands with the RJD and the Congress to form the government in Bihar in August. This was also Prasad’s first active political engagement in a long time. He has been ailing for some time now. After the meeting, Lalu Prasad told reporters, “We have to bring all opposition parties together to defeat the BJP. The Congress is in the process of electing its new president and Sonia Gandhi told us we will meet again after the election.” Kumar said there is a need for all opposition parties to join hands and work together to take the country forward. “All opposition parties on the same page in the fight against the BJP and discussion on a concrete plan of action will happen later after the election for the post of Congress president,” he told reporters after the meeting. The nomination process for the election to the Congress president’s post is underway and the polling, if needed, is scheduled for October 17. Earlier in the day, [Kumar called for uniting all opposition parties]( including the Congress and the Left, to take on the BJP and said this “main front of opposition” will ensure that the saffron party loses badly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. If all non-BJP parties unite, then they can get rid of those who are working to destroy the country, Kumar said at a rally organised by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Haryana to mark former deputy prime minister Devi Lal’s birth anniversary. INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala, Shiromani Akali Dal’s Sukhbir Singh Badal, both with a long history of fighting the Congress, were on the stage with other senior leaders such as NCP’s Sharad Pawar, CPM’s Sitaram Yechury and Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav was also on the stage in what was seen as a step towards unity among non-BJP parties. However, no one from the Congress attended the rally. Ashok Gehlot loyalists meet ahead of Congress Legislature Party meeting, want him to remain CM Ahead of the Congress Legislature Party meeting on Sunday evening, [MLAs considered close to CM Ashok Gehlot met under the leadership of Cabinet Minister Shanti Dhariwal]( in what is seen as a message to the high command to pick a Gehlot-loyalist as his successor. The meeting is also seen as an attempt to thwart the possibility of senior party leader Sachin Pilot being made the next CM. [Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot prays at the Tanot Mata temple in Jaisalmer on September 25, 2022. ] Some participants said Gehlot’s successor should be someone who was instrumental in saving the government during the political crisis in 2020 and not someone who was involved in toppling it, a veiled reference to Mr. Pilot. “If the decision is not taken keeping the MLAs’ sentiments in mind, the government will be in danger,” independent legislator and advisor to the Chief Minister Sanyam Lodha said after the meeting. Another leader Govind Ram Meghwal said Gehlot can shoulder both roles, that of the chief minister as well as the party’s national president. He said if Gehlot does not remain the chief minister, the party will face a major trouble in winning the next Assembly elections. Gehlot is expected to quit as Rajasthan CM if he wins the election to the post of the Congress president, as the party has a ‘one-man one-post’ policy. Earlier in the day, Gehlot said a one-line resolution stating all Congress legislators have full faith in the party president’s decision on his successor is likely to be passed during the Legislature Party meeting. Also sparking buzz about a possible change in leadership in Rajasthan, Gehlot said he had held different constitutional posts for 40 years and the new generation should get a chance now, in an indication that he was not averse to the party picking Pilot as his successor. He said that he had made it clear to the party high command earlier in August that retaining power in the state was important, irrespective of who was the CM. Mann ki Baat | Chandigarh airport to be named after Bhagat Singh, says PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the[Chandigarh airport will be renamed after Shaheed Bhagat Singh]( as a tribute to the great freedom fighter. In his Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast where he referred to diverse issues, Modi spoke of climate change which he said is a major threat to marine ecosystems and also expressed concern about the “disturbing” menace of litter on beaches. “It becomes our responsibility to make serious and continuous efforts to tackle these challenges,” he said. He also paid tributes to BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay, saying he was a profound thinker and a great son of the country. Modi said that 130 crore Indians were filled with pride over the return of cheetahs to the country. He said a task force will monitor them and later it will be decided when people can see them. He hailed September 28 as an important day of ‘Amrit Mahotsav’ when the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh will be celebrated. “Just before the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh, an important decision has been taken as a tribute to him. It has been decided that the Chandigarh airport will now be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh. It had been in the waiting for a long time,” he said. He congratulated the people of Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana, and the entire country for this decision. Just a few days ago, the country had made a similar effort by setting up the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on Kartavya Path and now the name of Chandigarh Airport after Shaheed Bhagat Singh is another step in that direction, he noted. China’s Communist Party says all delegates elected for next month’s key Congress under guidelines set by President Xi The countdown for next month’s key Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) began as [the ruling party announced that all delegates totalling nearly 2,300 were “elected”]( for the once-in-a-five year meeting in which President Xi Jinping is widely expected to get endorsed for a record third term. As many as 2,296 delegates were “elected” to attend the upcoming 20th National Congress of the CPC to be held on October 16, official media reported, citing a statement by the party in Beijing. Scotching rumours and speculation over tensions within the ruling party over Xi’s continuation for an unprecedented third term, the statement said that the delegates were elected “under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” and in accordance with the Party’s Constitution, adopting methods required by the CPC Central Committee. Xi, 69, himself was “elected” as a delegate to the Congress in April this year, according to the party’s earlier announcement. Among the delegates are party members both in leadership positions and working on the frontline, a considerable number of female Party members and those from ethnic minority groups, as well as those from various sectors including the economy, science and technology, national defence, judicial, procuratorial and public security sectors, education, publicity, culture, health care, sports and social administration, it said. The Congress, in which Mr. Xi is expected to get endorsed for an unprecedented third term, is being held amid a big purge of top security officials stated to be part of a “political clique” opposed to the Chinese President. Also, three security officials were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve this week for corruption, raising eyebrows about the sudden surge of punishments ahead of the Congress. The CPC holds a Congress every five years but the upcoming Congress is regarded as significant, as it is a leadership change year for the century-old party. Xi, heading the party, the military and Presidency, is due to complete his 10-year tenure. As per the norm widely followed since the death of party founder Mao Zedong in 1976, all predecessors of Xi strictly followed a 10-year tenure keeping up with the directive of Mao’s successor Deng Xiaoping. In Brief: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who concluded a week-long visit to the United Nations, said [it would be premature to comment on positions countries]( including India, are taking on the issue of whether any permanent membership for India to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) came with veto power. India has been campaigning hard, including this past week, for a permanent seat on the Council. While a number of countries have shown support for India’s membership, including the U.S. and Russia, the question remains open, if this comes with veto rights. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. 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