Sonia invites Opposition leaders for dinner on March 13

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has invited leaders of all Opposition parties for dinner here on March 13 in a fresh bid to forge a united front against the BJP, sources in the party said.

The initiative - in the backdrop of Opposition parties joining hands to attack the government in Parliament - is a step towards strengthening the Opposition and laying the foundation for a united front in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, a party insider said.

Sonia Gandhi's invitation comes at a time when the talk of a non-BJP, non-Congress front is doing the rounds following a proposal by TRS chief and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for a national consultation process on the matter.

Sources close to the Congress confirmed that Sonia Gandhi's dinner would signify the coming together of all Opposition parties who would take on the BJP inside and outside Parliament.

"It would not only be a dinner, but also a showcase of the strength of Opposition parties who would like to come together to form a front against the misrule of the BJP," a senior leader said.

Several leaders have confirmed their attendance, a Congress insider said. However, he said, Sonia Gandhi is keen to have all top Opposition party leaders, including Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who is yet to confirm.

NDA ally TDP could also attend the Congress leader's dinner, said a senior Opposition leader.