Opposition meeting: Formal talks to take place from 11 am to 4 pm today
Top leaders of 26 Opposition parties have gathered in Bengaluru to decide on the contours of the front that will take on the BJP next year. The formal talks will take place today from 11 am to 4 pm.
The leaders, who gathered in Bengaluru through the day, had a dinner meeting in the evening to formalise the agenda for tomorrow’s talks.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, chief ministers M K Stalin, Nitish Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal, Hemant Soren and RJD chief Lalu Prasad are among those taking part in the two-day meet. Sharad Pawar, who party underwent a split last month with the rebellion of nephew Ajit Pawar, will join the meeting tomorrow.
“Like-minded opposition parties shall closely work together to foster an agenda of social justice, inclusive development and national welfare. We want to free the people of India from the autocratic and anti-people politics of hate, division, economic inequality and loot… United We Stand, for this INDIA,” tweeted Mallikarjun Kharge.
The dinner meeting at the Taj West End Hotel last evening saw Mamata Banerjee and Sonia Gandhi seated next to each other. While the two leaders are known to share a good rapport, relations between the Congress and Ms Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress had soured lately.