Opposition Meet Live: Top leaders of 24 opposition parties are expected to attend a meet.
Gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has rallied support from a total of 25 parties for the second Opposition Unity meeting in Karnataka's Bengaluru beginning on Monday.
Leaders of 26 Opposition parties converged at a hotel in Bengaluru today as part of their efforts to present a united front against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Here are the Highlights of the Opposition meet:
Key Roles Likely For Sonia Gandhi, Nitish Kumar In Opposition Bloc Against BJP
Sonia Gandhi will likely head the united front against the BJP, sources said after the Opposition's second huddle today in Bengaluru. Bihar Chief Minister, who hosted the first meeting in Patna, will be named convenor of the bloc, the sources added.
"United We Stand": Opposition's Message At Key MeetTop 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 tomorrow from 11 am to 4 pm.
Opposition's Dinner Meeting OverThe Opposition's dinner meeting concludes in Bengaluru.
Seat-Sharing Big Test As Opposition Eyes Common Minimum Programme In MeetTop leaders of 26 opposition parties, including the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, and Trinamool Congress, are expected to attend the two-day brainstorming session in Bengaluru from today. One of the most important tasks at the hands of these parties is to set the ball rolling on a possible Common Minimum Programme that can help them function smoothly, and address their political compulsions and the few ideological contradictions that exist among them. Congress leaders have said that a sub-committee will also be formed for the same.
Sonia Gandhi To Host Dinner For Opposition Leaders TonightSonia Gandhi will host a dinner tonight for the leaders of the 24 opposition parties attending the Bengaluru huddle.
"Alliance Of Opportunists Not Good For India's Present, Future": Ravi Shankar Prasad
Former Union minister and veteran BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad called the Opposition meeting in Bengaluru "an alliance of opportunists". "Such an alliance of opportunists not good for India's present and future," Mr Prasad said, reported news agency PTI.
Sonia Gandhi Arrives At Bengaluru Hotel For 2nd Opposition Meet
Sonia Gandhi has arrived at Taj West End in Bengaluru, where opposition parties have gathered for their second meeting to forge an united opposition for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
"Opposition Meet Giving BJP Sleepless Nights": AAP's Raghav Chadha
Aam Admi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha on Monday said that the coming together of like-minded opposition parties is giving "sleepless nights" to the Bharatiya Janata Party. He also claimed that the saffron party will not return to power at the Centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to ANI in Delhi, the AAP leader said, "The alliance of like minded opposition parties is giving sleepless nights to the ruling BJP. The coming together of leaders of non-BJP parties have made them to live in fear", adding, "The agenda of the meeting will be discussed during the meeting in Bengaluru".
"We Have United To Defeat BJP": MK Stalin On Opposition Meet
Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday said that the Opposition parties have united to "defeat" the ruling BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections while terming the Enforcement Directorate raids at the residence of State Minister K Ponmudi as "diversionary tactics" coming ahead of the second unity Opposition meeting.
Speaking to reporters at the Chennai airport before flying to Bengaluru to attend the Opposition meeting, CM Stalin said," "All Opposition parties have united to defeat the BJP-led Central government. We took the decision in Bihar to convene the second meeting in Karnataka today and tomorrow".
"Game Changer" For Indian Politics: Congress On Opposition MeetCongress general secretary KC Venugopal today hit out at the ruling BJP-led government at the Centre accusing it of misusing probe agencies for its political ends and said that the meeting of opposition parties in Bengaluru "will be a game-changer" for India's politics.
Addressing a press conference as opposition parties gather in Bengaluru for the meeting, Mr. Venugopal alleged that BJP wants to "silence the voice of opposition" and said the disqualification of party leader Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha and developments in Maharashtra are examples.
Spoke To Sharad Pawar, He's Coming For Opposition Meet Tomorrow: Congress Chief
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said he has spoken with NCP chief Sharad Pawar and was informed that he would participate in the Opposition meeting in Bengaluru on July 18.
Responding to reports that MR Pawar would skip the Opposition meeting on Monday and take part in it on Tuesday, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh rejected such insinuations, saying the official meeting of opposition parties is on Tuesday and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is only hosting a dinner on Monday.
Opposition Meet Has Already Made An Impact: Sitaram Yechury
Ahead of the second Opposition meeting CPI(Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury said that the meeting will definitely create an impact.
"Naturally Opposition Meeting would create an impact, that's why we are here. In fact people are asking questions whether It would create an impact, it is creating an impact already and it will," Mr Yechury said.
The CPI (M) General Secretary said that cooperation among the opposition is needed "in order to ensure that the country we are born in remains the country we were born in."
Attempts Being Made To Breathe New Life Into NDA: Congress
The Congress on Monday asserted that Opposition unity would be "a game changer" for the Indian political scenario and took a swipe at the BJP, saying those who used to talk of defeating the opposition parties alone are now making attempts to breathe new life into the NDA which had become a "ghost".
Addressing a press conference here on the two-day crucial deliberations of Opposition parties starting this evening, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has suddenly remembered the NDA.
"Opposition Never Considered JD(S) A Part Of Them": HD Kumaraswamy
Former Chief Minister of Karnataka HD Kumaraswamy on Monday said that the opposition never considered Janata Dal-Secular as part of them and his party will not be part of any opposition alliance.
He also said that his party has not received an invitation from BJP-led National Democratic Alliance for a meeting on July 18.
"Opposition never considered JD(S) a part of them. So, there is no question of JD(S) being a party of any Mahagathbandhan," he said.
Nitish Kumar, Lalu Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav To Travel To Bengaluru In Afternoon
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar along with RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav will travel to Bengaluru on Monday for attending the second meeting of the opposition parties.
Top leaders of 26 opposition parties are expected to attend the two-day brainstorming session where they are likely to start work on a common minimum programme and announce a joint agitational plan to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Sharad Pawar To Attend Opposition Meet Tomorrow