Opposition parties to discuss anti-BJP front on Nov 22

The first meeting of Congress and other opposition parties will be held in New Delhi on November 22 to discuss formation of an anti-BJP front, sources said.

This was decided during a meeting between Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Saturday.

The meeting to be attended by Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Chandrababu Naidu and leaders of other parties is also expected to discuss a common programme for the proposed front.

Naidu said he would meet Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on November 19-20 in Kolkatta to invite her to join the proposed non-BJP front.

The TDP chief told reporters that he was already in touch with Banerjee, but would personally meet her to invite her to join the efforts for opposition unity. He would also invite her to the November 22 meeting.

Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda, Aam Admi Party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, DMK leader M.K. Stalin and other leaders will also be invited to November 22 meeting.

Gehlot flew to Amaravati for a follow-up meeting with Naidu. The TDP chief had met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on November 1 and they agreed to work together to bring together non-BJP parties.

Intensifying his efforts to cobble together anti-BJP front, Naidu met Deve Gowda and DMK leaders over the last two days.

Addressing a joint news conference with Gehlot, Naidu targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah saying they had ruined the secular, social and economic fabric of India.

"Both Narendra Modi and Amit Shah ruined the country with their ego and adamant attitude," said Naidu, whose TDP walked out of BJP-led NDA in March this year.

Gehlot said the opposition parties were coming together to form a front to save democracy. He said there was an undeclared emergency in the country and all democratic institutions were being destroyed.

--IANS

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