Opposition parties meet in Parliament to discuss security situation

A crucial meeting of the Opposition parties began in Parliament Library Building on Wednesday, with the agenda to discuss the prevailing security situation in the country.

Among those present were former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president Chandrababu Naidu, Loktantrik Janta Dal leader Sharad Yadav, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and party colleague Praful Patel.

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, BSP's Satish Chandra Mishra, JDU's Upendra Kushwaha, former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, Congress' Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPI's Sudhakar Reddy, JDS' Danish Ali, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, AAP's Sanjay Singh and others were also in attendance.

The Samajwadi party was absent from the meeting.

The Opposition on Tuesday had decided to drop the formulation of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) as the agenda for their meeting in view of the prevailing security situation in the country.

Senior leaders in the opposition confirmed that in a discussion with the Congress, the CPI(M) and the CPI said that they will only be part of the meeting if the Common Minimum Programme is off the table.

With the change in agenda, Left parties joined the meeting.

It was after the February 13 meeting of opposition leaders, the decision to formulate a Common Minimum Programme was mooted, which would act as a roadmap for them to fight the Lok Sabha elections against the BJP.

However, it is not clear when a CMP will finally be formulated.