Opposition parties will meet in Delhi on January 29

Mumbai: A meeting will be held on January 29 in Delhi of political parties that participated in the Samvidhan Bachao Rally on Friday. The meeting is expected to mark the beginning of backdoor talks for forming an alliance of opposition parties in Maharashtra. Indications are clear from leaders of Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) that they need to come together on a common minimum programme. It is expected that the meeting in Delhi will be followed by a meeting in Mumbai where state leaders of both the parties will discuss the future course.

After Save Constitution rally in Mumbai on Republic Day, political leaders have now decided to intensify the mobilisation. NCP chief Sharad Pawar tweeted, “With Congress president Rahul Gandhi, we all leaders will meet in Delhi on January 29 and discuss how this issue needs to be raised further.”

Sources indicate that the opposition will adopt a two-way strategy. Opposition will look for a mass mobilization of all like-minded parties and civil society members across the states. But as the general election is just 14 months away, there will be an attempt to raise a larger political alliance in the country.

According to political experts, Maharashtra’s opposition parties are likely to take the lead to form a political front. Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Raju Shetti’s Swabhiman Shetkari Sanghatana, People’s and Workers’ Party, Samajwadi Party, Communist parties, and groups of socialists and Republican leaders joined the rally on Friday.

“There will be pressure from workers of all these parties to join hands. But that is not easy. Many of them have cross interests on the ground. Also, there are different political stands of different parties, and so they need to come together on the inclusive common minimum programme. Until this is tackled properly, a formation of a strong political front is not possible,” said Anant Dikshit, a political analyst.