<p>Several leaders raised the issue of including parties with no representation in Parliament in Opposition deliberations during a virtual meeting called by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Friday.</p>.<p>Nineteen Opposition parties attended the meeting, where several leaders like TMC chief Mamata Banerjee raised the issue of including smaller parties in such deliberations, sources said.</p>.<p>The idea is to unite all regional forces, however small, into the Opposition fray, the West Bengal chief minister said.</p>.<p>The sources indicated that Banerjee pushed for the inclusion of the CPI(ML), which bagged 12 seats in the 2020 Bihar Assembly polls, in such meetings.</p>.<p>She also said a core committee should be set up by the Opposition parties to deliberate on such issues before the leaders meet formally. Gandhi agreed to her proposal.</p>.<p>Other senior leaders said parties such as the Forward Bloc should be invited to such meetings.</p>.<p>They also pointed out that parties that are at odds with the Congress like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) should also be invited.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/winning-2024-polls-ultimate-goal-time-to-rise-above-compulsions-sonia-gandhi-to-oppn-leaders-1021823.html" target="_blank">Winning 2024 polls ultimate goal, time to rise above compulsions: Sonia Gandhi to Oppn leaders</a></strong></p>.<p>However, as of now, no final decision has been taken in this regard.</p>.<p>The sources said the proposal to bring all anti-BJP parties under the umbrella of a united Opposition gains significance as it comes soon after the show of unity in Parliament.</p>.<p>"It is no longer floor coordination, but it has now extended to party coordination. Several leaders proposed that parties with no representation in Parliament should also be included in such meetings.</p>.<p>"The sense is that before the Uttar Pradesh election (next year), the Opposition should be a united front," a senior leader said.</p>.<p>While the Samajwadi Party (SP) had no representation at the meeting, party chief Akhilesh Yadav gave his nod to a joint statement issued by the Opposition parties. The sources said Yadav called CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury to express his inability to join the meeting, but gave his approval to a draft of the statement prepared by the Left party.</p>.<p>Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati was invited to the meeting, but there was no response from her, the sources added.</p>
<p>Several leaders raised the issue of including parties with no representation in Parliament in Opposition deliberations during a virtual meeting called by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Friday.</p>.<p>Nineteen Opposition parties attended the meeting, where several leaders like TMC chief Mamata Banerjee raised the issue of including smaller parties in such deliberations, sources said.</p>.<p>The idea is to unite all regional forces, however small, into the Opposition fray, the West Bengal chief minister said.</p>.<p>The sources indicated that Banerjee pushed for the inclusion of the CPI(ML), which bagged 12 seats in the 2020 Bihar Assembly polls, in such meetings.</p>.<p>She also said a core committee should be set up by the Opposition parties to deliberate on such issues before the leaders meet formally. Gandhi agreed to her proposal.</p>.<p>Other senior leaders said parties such as the Forward Bloc should be invited to such meetings.</p>.<p>They also pointed out that parties that are at odds with the Congress like the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) should also be invited.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/winning-2024-polls-ultimate-goal-time-to-rise-above-compulsions-sonia-gandhi-to-oppn-leaders-1021823.html" target="_blank">Winning 2024 polls ultimate goal, time to rise above compulsions: Sonia Gandhi to Oppn leaders</a></strong></p>.<p>However, as of now, no final decision has been taken in this regard.</p>.<p>The sources said the proposal to bring all anti-BJP parties under the umbrella of a united Opposition gains significance as it comes soon after the show of unity in Parliament.</p>.<p>"It is no longer floor coordination, but it has now extended to party coordination. Several leaders proposed that parties with no representation in Parliament should also be included in such meetings.</p>.<p>"The sense is that before the Uttar Pradesh election (next year), the Opposition should be a united front," a senior leader said.</p>.<p>While the Samajwadi Party (SP) had no representation at the meeting, party chief Akhilesh Yadav gave his nod to a joint statement issued by the Opposition parties. The sources said Yadav called CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury to express his inability to join the meeting, but gave his approval to a draft of the statement prepared by the Left party.</p>.<p>Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati was invited to the meeting, but there was no response from her, the sources added.</p>