Next opposition meet in Bengaluru: Sharad Pawar

In place of Shimla, the next meeting of the opposition parties will be held in Congress-ruled Karnataka’s capital Bengaluru on July 13 and 14, NCP chief Sharad Pawar announced on Thursday, June 29.

“PM Modi has become restless after opposition parties’ meet in Patna,” said Pawar, referring to the June 23 meeting that was attended by 15 opposition parties.

The meeting would be held to chalk out a joint strategy to take on the BJP together, said sources.

The Bengaluru meeting will be chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and will be attended by several chief ministers of the opposition-ruled states, sources said. Opposition parties may also decide on the convenor of the opposition block.

Whether Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who threatened to walk out of the anti-BJP alliance if Congress does not support his stand on the Centre's ordinance, will participate in the Bengaluru meeting or not, remains unclear.

Though Kejriwal attended the Patna meeting of the opposition parties, he left without addressing the press conference, providing space for the BJP to attack the Opposition.

Going a step further, the AAP has even declared that it will be difficult for it to attend future meetings of opposition parties where Congress is present.

Not to be missed. Kejriwal’s party recently extended in principle support for the Uniform Civil Code.

Over 32 leaders from various parties had attended the first meeting hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his residence in Patna.  

While Mayawati (BSP), Naveen Patnaik (BJD), K Chandrashekar Rao (BRS) and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (YSRCP) were not invited, RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary did not attend the meeting due to a "predetermined family programme".