Rahul, Manmohan among top opposition leaders attending Sharad Yadav's Virasat Bachao meeting

Rebel Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav's efforts to unite opposition parties to save their inheritance got a major boost up today when several top leaders of opposition parties gathered to attend the meeting at the Constitution Club here.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, TMC leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Jayant Choudhary, Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) leader Manoj Jha and Babulal Marandi, national president of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha are among the leaders attending the meet.

Janata Dal (U) leader Sharad Yadav took the initiative to organise 'Sanjhi Virasat Bachao' (save composite culture) programme after he was expelled from the party by party president Nitish Kumar.

The JD(U) removed Sharad Yadav a couple of days ago, as its parliamentary party leader in the Rajya Sabha, when he continued his campaign against the Nitish Kumar's decision to forge an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

That's why the programme is seen as a protest against Kumar's decision to realign with the BJP.

On Wednesday, Sharad Yadav had said, "Around 17 parties will attend our 'Sanjhi Virasat Bachao' programme and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ji and Rahul Gandhi ji will also be present from the Congress party apart from the leaders of the Opposition parties, intellectuals and farmers. Dalit and tribal leaders will also attend the meeting."

Yadav, while talking to reporters had also asserted that the composite culture of India is the preamble of Constitution which is under threat, therefore, it was important to launch the programme. He also asserted that, "This programme is in the interest of the country and not against the government."

Janata Dal-(United) leaders have mocked the Sharad Yadav's 'Sanjhi Virasat Bachao' programme terming it as "reeks of hypocrisy".

Talking to ANI, JD(U) leader Ajay Alok said, "It feels weird to see Sharad Yadav's ethics taking a 180 degree turn. Thirty years ago, he arranged a similar meeting against the Congress, and now, he is aligning with the Congress for the same meeting."

Echoing a similar view, party spokesman K.C. Tyagi said the JD (U) remains unaffected by the meeting.

He said, "The people who are organizing the meeting are not important for us and we remain unaffected by it.