Opposition unity: Nitish Kumar to meet Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee today

Lucknow: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has taken upon himself the task of uniting Opposition forces against the BJP-led government at the Centre, will meet with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday.
The meeting with be held at the Samajwadi Party headquarters today at 4 pm, officials said. The Samajwadi Party's National General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav and Shivpal Singh Yadav will also be present in today's meeting.
Meanwhile, the Bihar chief minister is also scheduled to meet West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Monday. He is set to leave from Patna and meet with his Bengal counterpart at her office in the State secretariat 'Nabanna' today.
Earlier on April 12, Nitish Kumar had met with Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and former MP Rahul Gandhi in the national capital.
The meeting was seen as the major step to laying the groundwork for a grand Opposition alliance ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Rahul Gandhi said it was a "historic step" towards Opposition unity and for an "ideological fight".
Rahul Gandhi, who posted a picture of himself with Kharge and JDU and RJD leaders, said they are "standing together, will fight together for India".
"In this battle of ideology, a historic step has been taken today towards Opposition unity. (We are) standing together, will fight together - for India!" Rahul Gandhi had said in a tweet after the meeting with the Bihar chief minister.
CM Mamata Banerjee is also leaving no stone unturned in closing in ranks with other parties ahead of the 2024 polls, as she met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav at her residence in Kolkata last month. (ANI)