 "Sonia Gandhi")
Twenty-four parties are likely to attend the second Opposition meeting convened by Congress in Bengaluru on July 17-18. According to media reports, Sonia Gandhi will also be in attendance and has extended a dinner invitation to all attending members, including those from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
The news agency ANI reported that eight new parties have extended their support in presenting a united front against BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The new parties that will join the meeting include Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Kongu Desa Makkal Katchi (KDMK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), All India Forward Bloc, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kerala Congress (Joseph), and Kerala Congress (Mani).
Karnataka deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar stated that the former Congress president Sonia Gandhi is also expected to attend the meeting, according to a report by PTI.
Several media reports have surfaced following Shivakumar’s announcement stating that Sonia Gandhi will likely host a dinner for all party leaders. Furthermore, despite AAP’s confrontation with Congress in the last Opposition meet in Patna, Gandhi has extended an invitation to the party. The media reports the dinner may be held ahead of the second Opposition meeting in an effort to unite the parties.
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ANI highlighted that RJD chief Lalu Prasad will be travelling to Bengaluru for the meeting of the opposition parties.
The first Opposition unity meeting saw the attendance of more than 15 parties in Patna on June 23. It was convened by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin were among those who attended the meeting.
