Opposition leaders to meet on Nov 29 ahead of Winter Session to finalise 'united strategy' against Modi

Opposition party leaders in Parliament will meet in New Delhi on Monday morning to finalise a united strategy against the Narendra Modi government during the Winter Session of Parliament.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has written to floor leaders of Opposition parties in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha inviting them for the meeting on issues to be taken up as well as strategy to be adopted during the Session starting Monday and ending on December 23.

"The winter session commencing from November 29, 2021, is very crucial for all of us for raising important issues. I am convening a meeting of floor leaders of all opposition parties both in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on Monday, November 29, 2021, at 9.45 am in my room in Parliament House," Kharge said in his letter to the leaders.

Read: Opposition most important element of democracy, says President Ram Nath Kovind

While thanking them for their support during the Monsoon Session, he said the meeting on Monday would help work unitedly in raising critical matters of people's concerns in Parliament.

Various opposition parties will try and come together to fight and defeat the BJP in Parliament, he told reporters.

Congress has already issued a three-line whip to its MPs in Lok Sabha asking them to be present in Lok Sabha on November 29. In a meeting chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi on Thursday, the party decided to demand the repeal of farm laws, legal backing for Minimum Support Price and sacking of Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra who is linked to the killing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri on the first day itself.

There have been questions about Opposition unity following tension between Congress and Trinamool Congress following the latter's poaching of leaders. However, leaders from both sides said there is unity inside Parliament.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday told party leaders that the party should work towards Opposition unity in Parliament irrespective of what others do outside.

Also read: 'Pained' by boycott of Constitution Day event: Om Birla

When asked about Opposition unity, Congress Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma said Congress is the central pillar of opposition in the country.

"We have a constitutional duty, which we recognise, we are conscious of that as the main opposition party of this country. There are expectations of people that we will take up issues, which concern our citizens. We will raise issues and oppose the government, where we feel it is necessary to do so.

"It has always been and remained our sincere endeavour to reach out to other parties in the opposition, our own allies and others, who hold similar views on some of the wrong decisions of the BJP government, its policies and its functioning, and that is what happens in a democracy and we hope that we will see this session in the same spirit," Sharma said.

Check out latest videos from DH: