Social justice identified as theme by Opposition parties ahead of 2024 elections

New Delhi, 23rd June 2023: The opposition parties are gathered for the big meet today in Bihar’s Patna, where they will likely start discussions on their action plan for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The parties have discussed putting up a united front against the PM Modi-led BJP government. The leaders have also been said to have identified social justice as the main theme of their campaigns.

This comes as various opposition parties assess the feasibility of building a campaign centred on social justice to counterbalance what they see as the waning appeal of polarising Hindutva politics, which has long overshadowed the widening chasm between the dominant and marginalised communities.

This is anticipated to be a major topic of discussion at Opposition meetings beginning today, with three crucial parties coordinating tactics closely – the Congress, Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal-United, and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD.

The call for a caste census is one of the key drivers of the emphasis on social justice; Nitish Kumar was one of the leading supporters advocating for a caste-based count and even launched a survey in his state, which was blocked last month by a court.

During his campaign in Karnataka, when the party defeated the BJP, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi advocated for a caste census.