In a bid to forge opposition unity to counter BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will leave for New Delhi on Sept 5 and sharply criticised the saffron party for engineering defection in JD(U) MLAs of Manipur.

Kumar told media persons here on Saturday that the incident of defection of JD (U) MLAs in Manipur was grossly unconstitutional and it reflected the character of BJP.

After recently held Assembly elections in Manipur, JD(U) was supporting BJP government there and now five of six MLAs were allured by BJP to leave the party and join them, he added.

” In alliance, BJP never offered any post to JD(U) MLAs in other states and later they engineered defection”, Chief Minister said adding that it was totally a different and new culture displayed by any party.

Nothing like that had happened earlier, he noted.

Kumar said that all six MLAs had informed on Thursday that they were reaching Patna to attend the national executive meeting of JD(U).

Even all MLAs had arrived in Patna to meet him recently, he stated.

” If all opposition parties get united , then the result of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections would be good”, the Chief Minister said, adding that he would go to New Delhi on September 5. It is expected that during his three day visit to New Delhi, Kumar will meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders to evolve opposition unity to take on BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, the national executive meeting of JD(U) was held in Patna on Saturday while the national council meeting of the party would be held on September 4. Strategies would be finalised for 2024 Lok Sabha elections during the crucial meeting of the party, convened for the first time after Chief Minister Kumar walked out from NDA to join hands with RJD to form Grand Alliance government in Bihar, infusing a new strength in opposition parties at national level to counter BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

(With UNI inputs)