NEW DELHI: Sharad Pawar, the prominent leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is set to join a crucial opposition meeting in Bengaluru as part of efforts to forge a united front against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two-day meeting, scheduled for July 17-18, will witness the convergence of leaders from at least 26 opposition parties at a hotel in Bengaluru.
While Sharad Pawar will not be present on the first day of the meeting, he is expected to attend on the second day, July 18. In the meantime, reports suggest that Pawar plans to hold a press conference on Monday to shed light on his future political role.
Mahesh Bharet Tapase, the spokesperson for Sharad Pawar's faction of the NCP in Maharashtra, confirmed that both Pawar and NCP's Executive President, Supriya Sule, would be attending the Bengaluru meeting on Tuesday.
Several prominent leaders are anticipated to participate in this significant gathering, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, JDU leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, JMM leader and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
The event will commence with a dinner meeting hosted by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and a formal session on July 18. After the discussions, the participating parties are expected to announce their further plans and strategies. The Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary, D Raja, highlighted that the two-day session will strengthen the opposition's collective determination to defeat the BJP.
The streets of Bengaluru have been adorned with large posters and banners, welcoming leaders from various opposition parties to the Taj West End Hotel, the venue for the joint opposition meeting.
According to the tentative schedule, the first day will include a joint press conference at 11 am by Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary in-charge of Communications, and KC Venugopal, Congress General Secretary. The afternoon will witness the arrival of all opposition leaders, followed by an informal meeting at 6 pm and a dinner at 8 pm.
On July 18, the meeting will begin at 11 am and continue until 4 pm. A press conference is expected to follow, during which the opposition may unveil their campaign strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The Bengaluru meeting holds immense significance as it aims to consolidate opposition forces against the ruling BJP government at the center. With Sharad Pawar's presence, the event is anticipated to foster unity and coordination among opposition parties, setting the stage for an intense political battle in the forthcoming elections.
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