A day before the results of the assembly elections in five states will be declared, the opposition will meet on Monday to chalk out strategy ahead of the crucial 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The meeting to be held in Delhi, has been called by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu who has been a strong advocate to bring the disparate opposition parties under a single umbrella to take on the BJP in 2019.

The meeting also comes ahead of the Winter Session of the Parliament.

Earlier, the meeting was planned for November 22, but had to be deferred because of the Assembly polls in five states.

WHO ALL WILL ATTEND THE MEETING

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi is likely to attend the meet to be held at the Parliament House Annexe. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee, National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy are expected to attend the meeting. 

 

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M K Stalin, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav and Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) leader Sharad Yadav are also among those likely to attend the meeting.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was unlikely to be part of the meeting, the sources said, adding that he might join the anti-BJP alliance post the general election.

 

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati was also unlikely to take part in the meeting, but her close aide Satish Chandra Mishra might attend it, a source said.

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav was likely to attend the Opposition meet, but in case he was unable to come, then senior party leader Ram Gopal Yadav would be present, a party source said.

AAP leaders also confirmed the party's participation in the Opposition meet.

OPPOSITION AGENDA DURING THE MEET

During the meeting, the parties will chalk out a strategy to counter the BJP during the Winter session of Parliament starting on Tuesday. "The main agenda of the meeting is to chart the future course of action for forming a non-BJP front," PTI reported quoting a source. 

The parties are also expected to discuss their responses to government bills and issues related to the Rafale deal and farmers, sources said.

BJP MOCKS OPPOSITION MEET, URGES THEM TO DECLARE PM CANDIDATE TO TAKE ON NARENDRA MODI

BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya mocked the scheduled meeting of opposition parties and said they should first declare a prime ministerial candidate before thinking of ousting the Narendra Modi government.

“It’s really good to see opposition parties trying to forge an alliance to fight against us. But, first let them declare their prime ministerial candidate, then they should dream of fighting against us and ousting us,” he said.