Congress president Sonia Gandhi held a virtual meeting with opposition leaders on Friday and said that the 2024 Lok Sabha polls were the ‘ultimate goal’ of the opposition.

Addressing the virtual meeting attended by the likes of Mamata Banerjee, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray besides others, Gandhi said that she was confident of opposition unity in Parliament, but added that a larger political battle has to be fought outside it.

“The ultimate goal is the 2024 Lok Sabha polls for which we’ve to begin to plan systematically with the single-minded objective of giving to our country a government that believes in the values of the Freedom Movement and in the principles and provisions of our Constitution,” Gandhi said.

“Monsoon session of Parliament was a complete washout again entirely due to the Government’s obstinate and arrogant unwillingness to discuss and debate urgent issues of public importance,” she said.

Who attended the meeting

DMK’s MK Stalin, TMC’s Mamata Banerjee, JMM’s Hemant Soren, Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray, NCP’s Sharad Pawar, Loktantrik Janata Dal’s Sharad Yadav and CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury were present for the meeting. Nobody joined the meeting from SP, news agency ANI reported earlier.

A total of 19 parties participated in the meeting. They include – Congress, TMC, NCP, DMK, Shiv Sena, JMM, CPI, CPI(M), National Conference, RJD, AIUDF,  Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Loktantrik Janta Dal, JD(S), RLD, RSP, Kerala Congress (M), PDP and IUML.

Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were also present.

The meeting is aimed at consolidating the opposition unity, unite various Opposition parties on key issues confronting the nation and formulate a common strategy against the NDA government to defeat it in the upcoming assembly elections.

NCP president Sharad Pawar has also been invited and according to PTI, Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have accepted the invitations.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had earlier confirmed that Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray will join the meeting via video conferencing.

“A number of issues including 2024 Lok Sabha elections and upcoming state elections expected to be discussed in the meeting,” he added.

Mamata to seek Opposition unity against BJP

According to sources, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to rake up the issue of alleged incidents of post-poll violence and the narrative that BJP has weaved around it during the Opposition meeting today.

Mamata is likely to seek opposition unity and consensus over what she alleges “BJP is trying to malign the image of Bengal”.

The issues of CBI and misuse of central agencies are also expected to find mention from her. The idea is, sources say, Mamata will ask for a united opposition protest against the Centre over Central agencies.

Opposition bonhomie on display in Parliament during Monsoon session

The opposition unity was on full display during the recently concluded Monsoon session of Parliament when parties took on the government seeking a discussion on the Pegasus snooping row, besides the farm laws and other issues.

The meeting also comes in the backdrop of the government demanding strict action against those indulging in unruly behaviour in Rajya Sabha during the passage of the Insurance Amendment Bill, reported PTI.

Speaking over the meeting, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said last week that the opposition is united.

Sonia Gandhi’s meeting comes after Kapil Sibal’s dinner party

“On 20th August, Sonia Gandhi will speak to Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will also take part in this meeting,” he had said.

The meeting gains significance as it comes after senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, and one of the grand old party’s major dissenting voices hosted a dinner meeting at his residence with top opposition leaders taking part in it.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar, TMC MP Derek O’Brien, DMK’s Tiruchi Siva, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary, Congress MPs Shashi Tharoor and Anand Sharma were present at the dinner party.