AAP, RLD Set To Attend Mega Oppn Meet Today

BENGALURU: Less than a month after 15 parties met in Patna on June 23, a larger group of Opposition leaders will reassemble in Bengaluru on Monday and Tuesday to build on the initial momentum

- Saubhadra Chatterji

The political plans to be explored here might include joint programmes at the national level but possible seat adjustments between the Opposition parties will be left for the respective state units to decide, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

In an indication of their growing strength, a total of 24 parties, nine more than the Patna meeting, are expected to join the Bengaluru discussions. Spread over two days, the Opposition leaders will join an informal meeting followed by a dinner hosted by Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday and for a marathon meeting from 11am on Tuesday.

The Bengaluru meeting is likely to discuss the common programmes that can be achieved, what the parties need to do in the near future, assess the current political situation, and make a strategy for the upcoming Parliament session.

“The informal meeting on Monday evening will be a precursor to the main meeting on Tuesday. The parties will look at the common programmes that can be undertaken, common issues that should be highlighted and prepare a road map for the near future,” said a senior Congress leader.

“We will also discuss and evolve a strategy for the monsoon session of Parliament. Issues such as the violence in Manipur, the train accident at Balasore, the assault on the federal structure and the role of governors are some of the key issues of common interest for all participants,” said the Congress leader.

A number of Opposition leaders are clear that the Bengaluru meeting is not the ideal platform to discuss seat-sharing agreements. “Those things will be done nearer to the polls. It will be inappropriate to decide on any seat-sharing agreement at the national level as most of the parties are not actually eyeing a pan-Indian alliance,” said another Congress leader.

The seat-sharing agreement, leaders insist, should be done at the state level.