New Delhi/UNI: Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday took a dig at the opposition meeting in Patna and said, "It is a public declaration that the Congress can't defeat PM Modi alone; they need help".

Addressing a press conference here at party headquarters in New Delhi, Irani said, "I especially thank Congress for publicly announcing that they cannot alone defeat PM Modi and that they need the support of others to do so".

Around 20 opposition leaders arrived in Bihar's capital Patna on Friday for the crucial meeting aimed at forging unity for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The meeting is being held to chalk out a roadmap for the formation of an anti-BJP front for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

"It is ridiculous that leaders who saw the murder of democracy during Emergency are today coming together under the leadership of the Congress," Irani said.

Commenting on AAP's ultimatum to the Congress that it will walk out of the united opposition if the Congress does not support the party against the Delhi Ordinance, Smriti Irani said parties that could not come together for development are resorting to political blackmail.

The meeting of the opposition parties is underway in Patna, where Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is playing host to the opposition meeting. Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena (UBT), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Samajwadi Party (SP), National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), CPI, CPM, CPI-ML, Janata Dal-United (JDU), Rashtraiya Janata Dal (RJD) are participating in the meeting.