Sonia Gandhi Meets Oppn Leaders, Tasks Pawar To Speak To RS Chairman Over Suspension Of MPs

More such meetings would be held in the next few days, in a bid to bring all opposition forces together.

Cogress interim president Sonia Gandhi with NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. (File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing impasse between the government and Opposition over suspension of Rajya Sabha 12 MPs during the Winter Session of the Parliament, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi met a group of leaders and held consultations to chalk out a joint strategy.

According to reports, several leaders including supremo Sharad Pawar, J&K National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and DMK leader T R Baalu met Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence in the national capital.

Sources close to news agency PTI stated that the leaders met to devise a way forward to revoke the suspension of 12 MPs. A report by NDTV states that Sharad Pawar has been tasked to speak with Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu regarding the same.

Reportedly, more such meetings would be held in the next few days, in a bid to bring all opposition forces together.

While sharing details about the meeting, Abdullah said a consensus has been built to devise a common strategy to move forward.

"It was a meeting about the country. We talked about how we can work together and move forward and how we can take out the country from this difficulty. A good agreement has been formed among us," he said.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge were also part of Tuesday's meeting.

Several Opposition parties have been protesting the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs and are holding protests, seeking the revocation of their suspensions.

The meeting comes hours after Opposition MPs in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha held a protest march from the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex to Vijay Chowk alleging that the Opposition is not being allowed to raise issues in Parliament.

"Wherever the Opposition is trying to raise issues, they are suppressed. The government does not allow us to raise issues. This is the murder of democracy. We want to raise issues against the government, but we are not allowed to do so," Rahul Gandhi said while speaking to reporters.