Team News Riveting
New Delhi, June 15
Many prominent regional parties today failed to turn up in the meeting called by Mamata Banerjee to discuss on Presidential elections.
Interestingly, of the parties that ignored meeting convened by Mamata Banerjee to demonstrate opposition unity, four are ruling parties in the states. Besides Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh and Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal did not attend the all-important meeting that took place at the Constitution Club in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The Congress however participated in the meeting despite the not-so-warm equations with Mamata Banerjee. Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Jairam Ramesh and Randeep Surjewala represented the party. Sources said TRS Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao was in no mood to share platform with Congress given Rahul Gandhi’s recent Telangana visit in which he openly criticised the ruling party.
AAP had categorically stated that it would consider the issue only after the candidate for the upcoming Presidential election was declared. While Jagan Mohan Reddy said he had not received the invitation, BJD Chief Naveen Patnaik was reportedly out of country. He however did not depute anyone to attend the meeting.
Mamata however did not invite a few parties that included the BSP and the AIMIM.
While the absence of prominent parties had put the managers of the meet in a fix, it received the first jolt when Sharad Pawar refused to be the face of joint opposition parties. After conveying his decision to the CPM general-secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja, and NCP leaders Praful Patel and P C Chacko, Pawar maintained the line when Mamata him yesterday.
The opposition parties are however exploring the names of former West Bengal Governor and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi Gopalkrishna Gandhi and former Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdulla for the post.
