In a major boost for the Opposition bloc ahead of the 2010 Lok Sabha Polls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to attend the November 22 meeting called by TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu in an effort to build a grand anti-BJP front.
Babu’s emissaries met Trinamool leaders in Kolkata on Friday after which the decision was taken. Top TDP sources have confirmed to CNN News 18 that irrespective of the number of parties giving their assent, the meeting on 22nd will take place and be followed by a press meet in Delhi’s Constitution Club.
So far, the Congress, TDP, Aam Aadmi Party, JD(S), NCP and now the TMC have agreed to attend the meeting. The TDP leadership is also meeting Praful Patel in Mumbai and they have already held a meeting with Sharad Yadav in Delhi.
The plans for a grand opposition show of strength in the midst of the ongoing state assembly polls were announced by Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu after he met Congress General Secretary Ashok Gehlot in Amaravati on Saturday evening.
Naidu, who has met nearly all top opposition leaders in the last one month in an attempt to bring regional parties on a platform to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019, had said the parties would decide on the future course of action at the proposed meeting.
“I am not expecting anything out of this. Save democracy and save nation is the agenda for us. We joined the Congress because of democratic compulsions in the interest of the nation. I am appealing to all parties that we should forget our issues. We have to join together for a broader cause,” he had said.