Prashant Kishor meets Sharad Pawar second time in two weeks

 Meet to device strategy to fight BJP in 2024, claims sources

Prashant Kishor: File picture

TT Bureau, Agencies   |   Mumbai   |  21.06.21: Poll strategist Prashant Kishor met with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar today for second time in two weeks amid buzz about preps for "Mission 2024" to fight Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP, according to a report from NDTV.com.

The two met in Delhi days after their last meeting on June 11 at Sharad Pawar's Mumbai home. Their second meeting lasted half an hour, sources say, unlike the previous one that went on for three hours.

Their discussions are seen to have a larger context related to the 2024 election and talk of a third front - minus the BJP or Congress - and a joint opposition candidate to challenge PM Modi. Many parties have indicated their willingness to join such a grouping, say sources.

Kishor's client Mamata Banerjee, who won a third straight term in West Bengal after fighting off a difficult challenge from the BJP, was asked whether she saw herself as the opposition prime ministerial candidate. "I think all together, we can fight the battle for 2024. But let's fight Covid first," she had said soon after the verdict.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had talked about the need for an alliance of opposition parties at the national level. Raut had said that he had spoken Sharad Pawar on this.