18 opposition parties to meet in Delhi

New Delhi: Leaders of 18 opposition parties led by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will meet to chalk out a common strategy to corner the NDA government on a range of issues in the national capital Friday.

According to sources, the opposition leaders will meet in parliament library to work out an effective strategy to take on the Centre when the Monsoon session ends.

An invite has been sent to leaders of opposition parties, including JD(U)'s Sharad Yadav by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on behalf of the Congress chief.

Besides top Congress leaders, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee is also likely to attend the meeting along with other senior leaders like Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav and Sitaram Yechury, sources said.

Since Sharad Yadav is in Patna, he may be represented by Ali Anwar Ansari.

Apart from the Congress, Left parties, TMC, RJD, JD(U), NCP, JMM, DMK, NC, SP, BSP, RLD, JD-S, Kerala Congress, AIUDF besides some others are slated to participate in the meeting.

The 18 opposition parties had earlier decided to meet once a month to discuss various crucial issues and maintain better coordination among themselves to 'unitedly' take on the government.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who arrived here today, met senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel ahead of the opposition meeting tomorrow.

The Trinamool chief also met President Ram Nath Kovind which was described by her party officials as a "courtesy" call.

Party sources said during her 10-minute meeting, Banerjee assured Kovind that her party will maintain cordial relations with him.

Congress leader Ahmed Patel visited the TMC supremo at her South Avenue office to discuss the agenda for the meeting tomorrow, said TMC party sources.

This will be Banerjee's second opposition meeting in the national capital in recent times. She had attended an opposition meeting here ahead of the presidential election last month.