Trinamool MPs to attend Sonia's luncheon

"Trinamool Congress MPs will participate in the luncheon to be hosted by the UPA chairperson tomorrow ahead of vice-presidential election slated for August 7," Trinamool Congress parliamentary party leader in the Lok Sabha Sudip Bandyopadhyay told PTI.

Bandyopadhyay said he had been instructed by party supremo Mamata Banerjee, now in north Bengal, to attend the luncheon.

In the vice-presidential election, UPA nominee Hamid Ansari, who is seeking re-election, is pitted against BJP MP Jashwant Singh.

Derek O'Brien, chief whip of the Trinamool Congress parliamentary party in the Rajya Sabha, said, "There will be a good participation of Trinamool Congress MPs at the luncheon. All party MPs who are staying in New Delhi will attend."

Bandyopadhyay said the party would hold a meeting at 8 pm tomorrow to take a decision regarding vice-presidential poll and finalise the party's strategy for the monsoon session of Parliament beginning on August 8.

Banerjee had kept up suspense over supporting UPA presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee till the last minute and announced her party's decision to support him just two days before the July 19 poll.