AAP, RLD set to attend mega Opposition meet in Bengaluru today. What's on the agenda?

A total of 24 parties, nine more than the previous meeting in Patna, are expected to huddle in Bengaluru on July 17 and 18.

Less than a month after 15 parties met in Patna on June 23, a larger group of Opposition leaders will reassemble in Bengaluru on Monday and Tuesday to build on the initial momentum. The political plans to be explored here might include joint programmes at the national level but possible seat adjustments between the Opposition parties will be left for the respective state units to decide, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

Posters of senior leaders of opposition parties come up in Bengaluru ahead of Monday’s meeting on Sunday. (ANI)

In an indication of their growing strength, a total of 24 parties, nine more than the Patna meeting, are expected to join the Bengaluru discussions. Spread over two days, the Opposition leaders will join an informal meeting followed by a dinner hosted by Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday and for a marathon meeting from 11am on Tuesday.

The Bengaluru meeting is likely to discuss the common programmes that can be achieved, what the parties need to do in the near future, assess the current political situation, and make a strategy for the upcoming Parliament session.

“The informal meeting on Monday evening will be a precursor to the main meeting on Tuesday. The parties will look at the common programmes that can be undertaken, common issues that should be highlighted and prepare a road map for the near future,” said a senior Congress leader.

“We will also discuss and evolve a strategy for the monsoon session of Parliament. Issues such as the violence in Manipur, the train accident at Balasore, the assault on the federal structure and the role of governors are some of the key issues of common interest for all participants,” said the Congress leader.

Seat-sharing agreements

A number of Opposition leaders are clear that the Bengaluru meeting is not the ideal platform to discuss seat-sharing agreements. “Those things will be done nearer to the polls. It will be inappropriate to decide on any seat-sharing agreement at the national level as most of the parties are not actually eyeing a pan-Indian alliance,” said another Congress leader.

The seat-sharing agreement, leaders insist, should be done at the state level.

Just like the previous meeting, the Bengaluru discussions will also not have any fixed agenda. But after the political optics of Patna meeting, the Bengaluru “summit” might look at more objective outcomes.

The Congress set the tone for the meeting, with its general secretary KC Venugopal saying loud and clear that the principal Opposition party would not support the Delhi ordinance.

“I think they (AAP) are going to join the meeting tomorrow. As for the ordinance (on Delhi), our stand is very clear. We are not going to support it,” Venugopal said. On Sunday, the Congress announced it has always fought against “the Modi government’s assault on the constitutional rights and responsibilities of democratically elected state governments and local bodies. This assault comes directly or comes from appointees like the governors. Congress party has opposed it in the past. We will continue to oppose it in Parliament and outside.”

The AAP in its political affairs committee (PAC) meeting held on Sunday decided to participate in the meeting. The party said it passed a unanimous resolution to this effect.

“The PAC’s decision in favour of attending the Opposition meet comes after the Congress’s clarified stance on the anti-national ordinance on Delhi. AAP has welcomed the Indian National Congress’s (INC) announcement to oppose the ordinance introduced by the Modi government. A party delegation led by Arvind Kejriwal will participate in the gathering of like-minded Opposition parties, set to take place in Bengaluru on 17th and 18th July,” the AAP said.

Rajya Sabha MP and PAC member Raghav Chadha said Kejriwal has been actively seeking the support of major Opposition parties to combat the services ordinance on Delhi. “Parties such as TMC, RJD, JDU, DMK, BRS, NCP, SP, Shiv Sena (UBT), CPI, CPM, and JMM have already declared their opposition to the bill within Parliament. The support reflects the nation’s collective opposition to the ordinance,” he said.

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien said, “There is no point speculating on the agenda of the meeting. The mission is clear: we have to work unselfishly, work unitedly and present India we cherish with a vision for 2024 and beyond.”

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury maintained that “Our objective is to save India. We should now be looking at national campaigns on issues such as misuse of central agencies, the attack on the federal structure, role of governors, inflation and unemployment.”

Yechury and other leaders are likely to suggest in the meeting that on raging national issues, a country-wide campaign should be planned and major Opposition leaders should participate. “On major people’s issues, we need joint protest action,” he added.

The joint agitation to highlight key problems might start with organizations affiliated with political parties. Already, the central trade unions and farm organizations have held a joint meeting last week to work on a joint protest. “Similarly, student bodies and youth and women wings will also now start working together for joint protests. Congress’ NSUI, RJD’s student body, CPIM’s SFI and similar organizations are already in touch and planning new programmes,” said the second Congress leader.

The Bengaluru meeting will also decide the venue of the next meeting, which is likely to be held in western India.

Amid continuing speculation over Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary remaining in the Opposition camp or joining hands with the ruling National Democratic Alliance, his party reiterated that he will participate in the joint Opposition meeting in Bengaluru on July 17 and 18.

“Jayant Chaudhary will be attending the Opposition parties’ Bengaluru meeting on Monday and Tuesday,” RLD state president Ramashish Rai said on Sunday.

“There is no change in the party’s stand on this issue,” he added.

The RLD chief may reveal his cards after the Bengaluru meeting where the issue of the Congress joining the SP-RLD alliance in UP was likely to be discussed, people aware of the matter indicated.

Party insiders said Jayant was insisting on the Congress being taken into the SP-RLD alliance in UP to take on the NDA in the state.

Senior RLD leader Trilok Tyagi said efforts to persuade the Samajwadi Party (SP) to take the Congress on board were on.

“We are in touch with the SP leadership, and they are not against the Congress joining the alliance,” he said.Als