Sonia to chair 18 oppn parties’ meet today, AAP not invited

NEW DELHI: At least 18 opposition parties were scheduled to meet virtually on Friday to strategise on reaching out to the people on issues such as the economic slowdown, the alleged mismanagement of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Pegasus spyware controversy, and the farmers’ protest, But the meeting, to be chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, will not have Delhi’s ruling AAP even as it was a crucial part of the opposition’s united floor management in the recent monsoon session of Parliament.

“We have not invited AAP as the meeting is chaired by the Congress president,” said a top leader who would be present in the virtual meeting. “Both the AAP and the Congress are uncomfortable sharing the same political platform,” he said on condition of anonymity.

Former National Democratic Alliance (NDA) member Shiromani Akali Dal has also not been invited, party functionaries confirmed. The Akalis quit the NDA last year over the three controversial farm laws, but instead of aligning with the mainstream opposition parties, they have kept their focus on the farm laws and are treading a separate path. With elections in Punjab due in six months, the Congress and its rival Akalis would not be interested in sharing a common platform against the NDA.

Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party has been invited but the

Up-based party has not confirmed its participation. The meeting takes off from a newfound unity among opposition parties during the Parliament session when several anti-nda parties joined hands on every single issue and nearly washed out the monsoon session.

“This Parliament session was one of the worst in history. Almost none of the people’s issues were discussed in it. Now, we are meeting to decide how to take these issues to the people. We will discuss the Covid mismanagement, economic situation, Pegasus, farmers protests and the struggle of the workers in the wake of privatisation,” said Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, a key figure in achieving this opposition unity.