Oppn leaders to discuss EVM machines, says Uddhav Sena leader Sanjay Raut

Ahead of the meeting of Opposition parties on Monday, the Shiv Sena -Uddhav Thackeray faction- leader Sanjay Raut said that discussions will he held on several issues including electronic voting (EVM) machines and Lok Sabha seat sharing.

Addressing a press conference here Raut said, "The agenda of today's meeting is to be one. Discussion will be held on many issues including EVM machines, Lok Sabha seat sharing, and also decide on what will be the name of the front."

Raut further confirmed that Shiv Sena chiefs Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray will also participate in the meeting in Karnataka's Bengaluru.

"Shiv Sena chiefs Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray will also attend the meeting. This meeting will run in two sessions. Congress leader Sonia Gandhi will attend today's meeting. NCP chief Sharad Pawar will attend the meeting tomorrow. Today we will discuss national level issues at the meeting", he added.

Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party said that the NCP supremo will not participate on the first day of the two-day joint opposition meeting but will be present on Tuesday according to spokesperson Mahesh Bharet Tapase.

Meanwhile, big posters and banners were seen put up on Race Course Road in Bengaluru welcoming leaders of various opposition parties for the joint opposition meeting at the Taj West End Hotel in the Karnataka capital.

Gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, leaders of at least 26 Opposition parties are set to converge at a hotel in Bengaluru today and tomorrow as part of their efforts to present a united front against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the Centre.

Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh, and Congress general secretary, KC Venugopal held a joint press conference this morning. All the opposition leaders are scheduled to arrive for the afternoon meeting.

An informal meeting is scheduled at 6 pm after which there will be dinner at 8 pm. On July 18, the meeting will kick off at 11 am and will continue till 4 pm.

Following this, there will be a press conference in which the campaign strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls may be announced.

The first mega Opposition meet was convened in Patna on June 23 by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. At the meeting, opposition heavyweights, including Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, brainstormed on a roadmap for an anti-BJP front in time for the next year's Lok Sabha elections.