Top Role Likely For Sonia Gandhi In Opposition Front Against BJP

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.

The leaders, who gathered in Bengaluru through the day, had a dinner meeting in the evening to formalise the agenda for Tuesday’s closed-door talks. There is a chance that Sonia Gandhi — who was the chairperson of UPA — will be named the President of the Front, and Nitish Kumar the Convenor, sources said.

Besides Mrs Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, chief ministers MK Stalin, Nitish Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal, Hemant Soren, Mamata Banerjee and RJD chief Lalu Prasad are among those taking part in the two-day meet. Sharad Pawar, whose party underwent a split earlier this month with the rebellion of nephew Ajit Pawar, will join the meeting tomorrow.

Sources said all parties have been asked to suggest the name of the front, which should have the word “India” in it. The tag line will be “United we stand”. Suggestions have also been sought for the Common Minimum Programme. It was also said that the subject of states should be kept separate.

“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 this evening saw Mamata Banerjee and Sonia Gandhi seated next to each other. They had a one-on-one conversation earlier that lasted almost 20 minutes, delaying the beginning of the meet, sources said.

While the two leaders are known to share a good rapport, relations between the Congress and Ms Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress had soured lately. But both parties have moved past that, agreeing that defeating the BJP next year is priority to save democracy and federalism.

The meet is being hosted by the Congress at a carefully chosen spot. The Congress victory in the recent Karnataka assembly election has not only galvanised the opposition, but also placed the party in a commanding position.

Under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress has, however, kept a low profile, reiterating that it wants to hear the ideas of other leaders. Its support to Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party on fighting the Central Ordinance in parliament has also projected its willingness to be a team player.

Asked whether its former ally HD Kumaraswamy’s Janata Dal Secular will attend, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said, “All parties having the will and guts to fight the BJP are welcome”. “From 16 in Patna to 26 in Bengaluru, this opposition will grow… We will have many more meetings. Issues would be discussed now and we will look at leaders later,” he added.

The opposition meet coincides with a BJP show of strength in Delhi, where all the NDA constituents will also meet tomorrow. Mr Khera said the BJP is having “jitters” and this is why they are holding the meet.