Sharad Pawar To Skip Day 1 Of Opposition's Bengaluru Meeting, Daughter Supriya & NCP Chief To Attend On July 18

NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who is fighting a subdued battle with nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for control over the party, will give the day 1 of opposition parties meeting in Bengaluru a miss. No reason was mentioned by Sharad Pawar or NCP for the senior politician skipping the day 1 of the opposition meeting in Bengaluru. However, NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase tweeted informing that both Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule will attend the meeting on day 2, July 18 in Bengaluru. At least 26 political parties are slated to attend the Opposition meeting in Bengaluru, to form an united alliance against the BJP ahead of next year's general elections.

Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel and 'rebel' leaders met Pawar on Sunday (July 17)

Amidst the ongoing drama following the NCP split, newly appointed ministers of NCP along with Ajit Pawar met Sharad Pawar at the YB Chavan Centre on Sunday. Talking to the press after meeting Pawar, Praful Patel said that they sought the "blessings and guidance" of senior Pawar. "He heard us but did not give any reaction," said Patel about the meeting.

AAP and Congress sort out differences on ordinance ahead of meeting

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will attend the opposition parties meeting in Bengaluru to chalk out a joint strategy to take on the BJP unitedly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, party leader Raghav Chadha said on Sunday. The Congress also declared its support to AAP on the Centre's ordinance issue over control of services in Delhi.

After a meeting of the AAP's highest decision making body -- political affairs committee (PAC) -- at party national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence here, Chadha also welcomed the Congress' decision to oppose in Parliament the Centre's ordinance on the control of administrative services in Delhi, reported news agency PTI.

The AAP had earlier said it would join the meeting in Bengaluru only if the Congress extended its support to the AAP in opposing the Delhi ordinance in Parliament. After the PAC deliberations, Chadha announced that the AAP under the leadership of Kejriwal will participate in the opposition meeting in Bengaluru, beginning with a dinner on Monday, according to PTI.

Second Opposition Meeting

This will the second meeting of more than a dozen opposition parties as they seek to chalk out a joint strategy to take on the BJP unitedly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In their first meeting in Patna, they resolved to take on the BJP unitedly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 

(With agency inputs)