Both were part of the chain of leaders who linked their hands and held them up in a show of bonhomie.

Highlights Opposition leaders attended a massive farmer protest in Delhi

Mr Kejriwal and Mr Gandhi shared the stage and addressed farmers

BJP leader Sambit Patra said it was "drama and confusion" sharing stage

Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal were on the same stage for the first time as opposition leaders attended a massive farmer protest in Delhi today, just months before a national election where their unity against the ruling BJP will be tested.

Both were part of the chain of leaders who linked their hands and held them up in a show of bonhomie. The Congress president and Aam Aadmi Party chief were separated only by Left leader Sitaram Yechuri and National Conference's Farooq Abdullah.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra tweeted that it was "drama and confusion" sharing stage. "Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal are on the same stage. This means only one thing - drama and confusion are on the same stage. People of the country have discarded them so their coming together is pointless," he tweeted.

Arvind Kejriwal began his political career from the same spot in the heart of Delhi, campaigning aggressively against the previous Congress government.

"Many parties here are of differing ideologies," said Rahul Gandhi, addressing tens of thousands of farmers at a protest site about a km from parliament.

Speaking moments later, Mr Kejriwal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "stabbed farmers in the back" by not keeping his 2014 promises.

AAP presents a dilemma for the Congress as its intense rivalry with the party in Delhi clashes with its efforts to rally opposition forces for a united fight against the BJP in 2019.

Arvind Kejriwal's party ended the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress government's 15-year run in 2013.