Anti- BJP parties’ meet likely Feb. 1

◗ Sources said that the next meeting would be held on Feb. 1, just after the presentation of the Union Budget

The Opposition seems to be finally getting its act together with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi likely to call a meeting of all anti- BJP parties in February, one after a similar meet at the residence of Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Monday.

Monday’s meeting called by Mr Pawar was attended by Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference, rebel JD( U) leader Sharad Yadav, CPI( M) Rajya Sabha member T. K. Rangarajan and CPI leader D, Raja, among others.

The Trinamul Congress, which is seen as an important component of any Opposition platform, was interestingly conspicuous by its absence. Sources said that the Mamata Banerjee- led party sent a message expressing its inability to attend the meeting on Monday.

It might be recalled that TMC supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had thrown her hat in the ring as the leader of any such Opposition platform. However, sources hinted that Ms Gandhi was said to be more in favour of Mr Pawar as the leader of any broad- based Opposition alliance.

“The parties discussed issues facing the country,” a senior leader of the Opposition camp told this newspaper after the meeting.

Sources said that the next meeting would be held on February 1, just after the presentation of the Union Budget. Mr Azad is likely to invite various political parties for the meeting.

Monday’s meeting is the second in the series after a similar “Save the Constitution” rally in Mumbai on January 26 which had been attended by Patidar leader Hardik Patel, NC’s Omar Abdullah and Gujarat OBC leader Alpesh Thakore, among others. Mr Pawar had on that day shared stage with Ashok Chavan of the Congress, setting at rest speculation of going with the Shiv Sena, which has recently announced to go it alone in the 2019 general elections.