United Opposition: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to visit Mumbai on May 11, meet Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 8 (ANI): As part of his ongoing efforts to cobble up a grand Opposition alliance against the BJP at the Centre ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will visit Mumbai and hold meetings with senior Opposition leaders.

Nitish Kumar will reach Mumbai on May 11 afternoon and head directly to Matoshree, the residence of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray in Bandra, where he will hold talks with the former chief minister.

After meeting Uddhav, the Bihar CM will also meet NCP chief Sharad Pawar at his residence in Silver Oaks, Malabar Hill, Mumbai.

JDU Maharashtra leader Kapil Patil confirmed Bihar CM's schedule in Mumbai to ANI.

As part of his efforts to bring the Opposition forces under a single umbrella and ensure a united fight against the BJP in next year's general elections, Nitish has already met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, among others.

"He will meet Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik on May 9 and Uddhav Thackeray and Pawar Saheb (Sharad Pawar) on May 11. He is also likely to meet Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar soon for discussions on a united Opposition," the JDU Maharashtra leader told ANI.

Last week, Kapil Patil and JDU leader and Bihar Legislative Council chairman Devesh Chandra Thakur met Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray and fixed their meetings with the Bihar CM.

Nitish Kumar is also planning a big meeting of all Opposition Leaders in Delhi on May 18.

Sharad Pawar confirmed this meeting at his press conference during which he announced his decision to withdraw his resignation as NCP patron.

"Devesh Chandra Thakur and Kapil Patil met me to discuss the need for a united Opposition (against the BJP) and they passed me a message that Nitish Kumar is likely to host a meeting of Opposition leaders in Delhi on May 18 and I have been requested to attend it," Pawar said. (ANI)