Bengaluru Opposition Meeting: Big Meet Starts Today; AAP, Uddhav Camp to Attend, Sharad Pawar May Skip – News18

The Opposition parties are all set to meet in Karnataka’s Bengaluru today and tomorrow to chalk out a strategy to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The invites for the meeting — conveyed by Congress — were sent out by the party’s president Mallikarjun Kharge. He invited all the major as well as smaller parties to attend the meet and put up a united front against the BJP.

A total of 24 parties is set to attend the meeting.

This is the second Opposition meeting since the first one was held at Patna on June 23 this year. The meeting was attended by 15 parties in total.

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–NCP leader Sharad Pawar Likely to Skip The Meet

Maharashtra’s former Chief Minister Sharad Pawar is likely to skip the opposition meeting. He might be meeting party MLA’s in Mumbai.

Previously, the split in Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and his nephew Ajit Pawar’s switch to the Eknath Shinde-BJP coalition in Maharashtra, was a major development around the issue.

However, parties like TMC and the Congress have shown their support for Sharad Pawar and have said that the opposition’s unity has been further strengthened.

-Such Meetings Have No ‘Political Meaning’: BJP Leader Basavaraj Bommai 

Ahead of the Opposition meet in Bengaluru, BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai has said that such meetings have no political meeting, adding that any number of meetings might happen but they will have no impact.

Bommai said that the only reason for the Opposition to unite is to defeat PM Modi and the BJP. He attributed the nation’s swift economy recovery after Covid-19 to PM Modi, adding that, this has led to the Prime Minister receiving international recognition.

– Sonia Gandhi to Attend the Meet

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi is also expected to attend a dinner meeting on July 17. She might also attend the more formal meeting on the second day, with in detail strategizing plans.

– AAP to Attend The Opposition Meet in Bengaluru

AAP was the latest party to confirm its presence on Sunday. This move comes after Congress backed Kejriwal against the Delhi Ordinance. Gaining the support of key parties, including that of Congress was a big boost for Kejriwal.

Considering the fulfilment of its key demand, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party arrived at this decision after holding a crucial meeting of its political affairs committee (PAC) on Sunday.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, who is also a member of the PAC, told the media, “The Congress party has cleared its stand today. We welcome the decision. AAP, under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, will participate in the meeting of like-minded parties on 17th and 18th.”

– Who All Can Be Seen Attending The Meet

Other than AAP, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray and MP Sanjay Raut will also be in attendance at the meeting.

“This is a very important meeting,” Raut said, reports.

Rahul Gandhi is also expected to attend the meet in Bengaluru.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee along with TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee will also be participate in the meet.

RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav confirmed his presence at the meeting as well.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, will also be travelling to Bengaluru for the Opposition meeting.

– Eight New Parties Will Be in Attendance

Eight other parties, who were not a part of the first meeting in Patna, will also participate in the deliberations against BJP.

These parties are; Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Kongu Desa Makkal Katchi (KDMK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), All India Forward Bloc, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kerala Congress (Joseph) and Kerala Congress (Mani).

– The First Opposition Meeting in Patna

The first meeting, attending by 15 parties, was hosted by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. All the participating parties had agreed to fight the Lok Sabha polls together.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, were among the top leaders attending the meeting.