Opposition plans crucial meet to unite against Centre

New Delhi: Trying to shore up their dwindling stock, Opposition parties will have another meeting on the last day of the Parliament session on August 11 to set a roadmap on coordination outside Parliament for the next few months till the Winter Session.

The meeting called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi will be attended by representatives of all 18 parties, who had come together to field a joint presidential candidate against the ruling NDA. The only exception would be that of JD(U), led by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who has since switched sides to the support the NDA. However, his senior party leader Sharad Yadav, who revolted against his party chief’s decision to join NDA, will send close aide Ali Anwar Ansari to attend the meeting. 

Sources said Mr Yadav would tour Bihar from August 10-13, so he would not attend the meeting himself. There is also speculation that Mr Yadav was looking at joining the RJD to redeem his secular image, which he considers to be dented by his party’s switching sides to the NDA in Bihar. Not only has the senior JD(U) leader been vociferous in his opposition to the NDA in the Upper House, but has also called a meeting of all like-minded Opposition parties on August 17. The RJD chief has invited him to become the rallying point for the Opposition by undertaking a nationwide tour against the BJP. 

Incidentally, the beleaguered RJD chief has also offered to send BSP chief Mayawati to the Rajya Sabha from Bihar next year. Ms Mayawati, who quit her Rajya Sabha seat last month after complaining that she was not allowed to speak, will find it difficult to make it to the Upper House from UP having won just 19 seats, which makes her fully dependent on the Samajwadi Party for support in securing the seat.