West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee have confirmed their participation in the next opposition unity meet. The meeting is scheduled to be held in Karnataka’s Bengaluru on July 17-18 and is set to be attended by top leaders of at least 24 political parties. This comes as eight new parties have extended their support to the Opposition’s efforts to present a united front against the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The second Opposition unity meeting, being convened by Congress, aims to bring together leaders from various parties to discuss important issues and strategize for the upcoming general elections. After the success of the previous meeting in Bihar’s Patna, where leaders reached a unanimous agreement on unitedly fighting the next General Elections, the Bengaluru meeting is expected to build on that momentum.
Several new parties including 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 (M) are among the parties that will be participating in the meeting.
Apart from Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will also be attending the meeting. The presence of key leaders from various parties demonstrates the seriousness and importance of the event.
The meeting in Bengaluru comes after the first Opposition unity meeting held in Patna on June 23. The Patna meeting saw the participation of more than 15 parties and was convened by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Leaders including AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin were among those who attended the meeting.
The Bengaluru meeting is expected to further strengthen the unity among opposition parties and pave the way for a collective and strategic approach towards the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
