A slew of issues ranging from the Union government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic to the economic downslide to the situation at the Line of Actual Control are set to dominate discussions amongst opposition parties as they come together for a possible meeting next week to chalk out a common strategy ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
As many as 22 opposition parties are expected to participate in the meeting, with the Congress acting as the convenor. In all probability, the meeting, the date for which has not yet been finalised, will be held through video-conferencing.
A number of issues are stacked up for discussion, which include the Narendra Modi government's alleged failure to contain COVID-19 and provide relief to the people reeling under the economic impact of the pandemic. The opposition-ruled states are aggrieved over non-payment of GST dues by the Centre.
Also on agenda is the situation at the LAC in Ladakh and the allegations of bias against Facebook when it comes to action against hate content posted by people affiliated to the ruling dispensation.
According to a Congress leader, the meeting will attempt to work out a unified campaign by opposition parties to take on the Modi government both inside and outside Parliament. As a precursor to this meeting, Congress President Sonia Gandhi had recently convened a meeting of chief ministers of opposition-ruled states, where the issues of non-payment of GST dues and the government's decision to go ahead with medical and engineering entrance exams in the midst of COVID-19 were discussed.
The parties that are expected to attend the meeting include, besides the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Shiv Sena, the DMK, the Left parties and the Janata Dal (Secular).
The opposition parties had held their first meeting after the COVID-19 outbreak on May 22. A meeting was being planned in August, but it got delayed because of the Congress' preoccupation with the political crisis in Rajasthan and the furore over the letter written by 23 senior party leaders to Sonia seeking sweeping organisational reforms.
