NCP skips meeting convened by Sonia, Oppn leaders discuss strategy to oust BJP

New Delhi/Ahmedabad: Leaders of 16 opposition parties, led by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, met in New Delhi on Friday to deliberate on evolving an "alternative narrative" to counter the BJP.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) skipped the meeting. The reason, sources say, might be the NCP being miffed with the Congress after it expressed doubts over its integrity. There were reports that two MLAs of the NCP in Gujarat might have voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and not for Congress candidate Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, with Ahmed Patel emerging victorious in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha polls, the NCP on Wednesday reminded the Congress that this triumph happened because of their help, and the grand old party must remember this in the future.

"This was indeed a nail-biting finish, his (Ahmed Patel) own MLAs (Member of Legislative Assembly) ditched him. Now, the Congress must remember this in future, reciprocate it and treat us like a younger brother," NCP senior leader Majeed Memon said.

The meeting on Friday was, however, attended by dissident JD(U) MP Ali Anwar Ansari, who is opposed to his party's alliance with the BJP in Bihar.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee attended the meeting, besides leaders of Left parties.

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said that the opposition parties have to build an alternative narrative to counter Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP, whose political power has reached a historic high in the last three years after the party won a series of Assembly polls.

He said that this could be done through effective strategy and taking up of pro-people issues such as the agrarian crisis. The meeting would deliberate on these matters, he said. He indicated that a small group of opposition leaders might be formed to carry forward the consultation process.