In what could be seen as efforts by the Congress to prevent the BJP-led NDA from coming to power after the Lok Sabha elections, United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of all opposition parties on May 23, the day of the counting of votes for the Parliamentary polls.
Sources said that Gandhi had written to leaders of various opposition parties for a meeting in Delhi on May 23. The letter by Gandhi to various opposition parties is being seen as a part of efforts by the Congress to forge a post-poll alliance of various non-NDA parties to prevent the BJP from coming to power at the Centre.
Sources said Gandhi has written to DMK chief M.K. Stalin, Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Deve Gowda, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, BSP chief Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav for a meeting on May 23.
Sources say that efforts are on to invite TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao, BJD chief Naveen Patnaik and YSR Congress’ Jaganmohan Reddy for post-poll alliance talks.
Sources said that the letter by Gandhi to various opposition leaders is an indication that the Congress has kickstarted its efforts to ensure that the various non-NDA parties are able to forge a post-poll alliance to form a government at the Centre in case of a fractured mandate after the Lok Sabha elections wherein the BJP and its allies do not have the numbers.
