Opposition factions unite vs Modi's party

NEW DELHI: Leaders of 17 Indian opposition parties agreed Friday to set aside their differences and put up a united fight in next year's national election in an attempt to deny Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party a third consecutive term.

They said they plan to meet again next month to formulate a strategy for running joint candidates against the governing Bharatiya Janata Party's nominees in constituencies across the country. That would prevent the BJP from benefitting from a splintering of votes among multiple opposition candidates.