West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee stated on Saturday that they will attend the next opposition unity meeting, which will be place in Bengaluru, Karnataka, on July 17-18, news agency ANI reported. Top leaders from at least 24 political groups are expected to attend Congress's second Opposition unity meeting.
According to reports, eight new parties have joined the Opposition parties in their attempts to present a united front against the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
"After last month's mega Opposition meet in Bihar's Patna, top leaders of as many as 24 political parties will be attending the second meeting which is going to take place in Karnataka's Bengaluru," sources were quoted by ANI in its report.
"Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Kongu Desa Makkal Katchi (KDMK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), All India Forward Bloc, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kerala Congress (Joseph), and Kerala Congress (Mani) are among the new political parties that will be joining the meeting," they said.
"Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will also attend the meeting," they added.
Notably, the KDMK and MDMK were formerly BJP allies in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, Congress president and Rajya Sabha Leader Mallikarjun Kharge has asked senior opposition leaders to attend the next unity conference.
Only a week earlier, the Congress President, in a letter to major opposition party leaders, reminded them of their participation in an opposition conference invited by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on June 23 in Patna.
"The meeting was a great success as we were able to discuss various important issues that threaten our democratic polity and came to a unanimous agreement on unitedly fighting the next General Elections," Kharge had said in his invitation letter.
The President of the Congress reminded the leaders that they had committed to meet again in July.
"I believe that it is important to continue these discussions and build on the momentum that we have created. We need to work together to find solutions to the challenges that our country is facing," the letter further stated.
"In furtherance thereof, I request you to kindly make it convenient to attend the meeting followed by dinner on July 17 at 6.00 pm in Bengaluru. The meeting will continue on July 18 2023 from 11.00 am onwards. Looking forward to meeting you in Bengaluru," Kharge further stated in his letter.