Rashtriya Manch: Team Up Of Opposition On Political Issues Or Mobilisation Of Anti-BJP Forces?

Stalwarts from parties such as Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal and Left-led CPI, CPI (M) attended the meeting.

Leaders of opposition parties, and other personalities after the meeting of the Rashtra Manch. (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: In order to establish a third front of Opposition again the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government, leaders of as many as eight Opposition parties on Tuesday assembly at Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar's resident in the national capital. 

Stalwarts from parties such as Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal and Left-led CPI, CPI (M) attended the meeting.

When asked about the agenda of the mega meet, leaders who took part in the discussions asserted that it was a "non-political" meeting of like-minded individuals by Rashtriya Manch that was floated by former finance minister and TMC vice-president Yashwant Sinha along with others.

While speaking to news agency PTI, a leader from NCP said that meeting was "over-hyped and highly speculative".

What Is Rashtriya Manch?

According to statments by founders of the Rashtriya Manch, it is an initiative to bring several parties together to discusss various issues facing the country. Leaders also claimed that it was not a meeting for forming an anti-BJP front or a non-Congress front.

Sinha formed the Rashtra Manch, a political action group, in 2018 that targeted the BJP-led government's policies.

As per the leaders who attended the meeting, several issues such as "COVID management, 'attack' on institutions and unemployment, and rising inflation among others were discussed.

"It was not an anti-BJP political front meeting called by Sharad Pawar. It was a meeting of Rashtriya Manch held at his residence. Like-minded individuals or people with the same ideology attended the meeting and there were several apolitical personalities present in the meeting," NCP leader Majid Menon said.

Who Attended The Rashtriya Manch Meeting?

According to reports, the meeting lasted more than two hours and was attended by Omar Abdullah from National Conference, Samajwadi Party's (SP) Ghanshyam Tiwari, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) president Jayant Chaudhary, Sushil Gupta from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Binoy Viswam from the Communist Party of India (CPI), Nilotpal Basu from CPI(M) and Sinha among others.

Former Congress leader Sanjay Jha and former Janata Dal (United) leader Pavan Verma also participated.

Besides politicians, several eminent personalities such as Javed Akhtar, Ambassador KC Singh and Justice (retd.) AP Shah were also present at the meeting.

Who Said What After The Meeting?

The meeting of Rashtra Manch lasted for 2.5 hours and many issues were discussed: Trinamool Congress leader Yashwant Sinha

This meeting was called by Rashtra Manch chief Yashwant Sinha & convened with the help of all founding members and workers of Rashtra Manch. This is being said that Sharad Pawar sahab is taking big political step & Congress has been boycotted. This is incorrect: Majeed Memon, NCP

Summary of today's meeting is that there is a need for preparation of an alternate vision in the country, that is strong to address issues related to the common man: Ghanshyam Tiwari, Samajwadi Party

Rashtra Manch will be a 'manch' that will include everyone who has vision for country's development & future, whether it's a political party, social organisation or a person. Rashtra Manch will also include those in India & abroad who think about the country: Ghanshyam Tiwari, SP