West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has called a meeting of the opposition party leaders on June 15 in New Delhi to prepare a joint strategy for the upcoming presidential polls. Elections to the top post will be held on July 18 and the results will be announced on July 21.
“Our honourable chairperson Mamata Banerjee calls upon all progressive opposition forces to meet and deliberate on the future course of action keeping the Presidential elections in sight; at the Constitution Club, New Delhi on the 15th of June 2022 at 3 pm,” the Trinamool Congress tweeted, attaching a letter sent to Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray.
“All progressive forces in this country need to remain aligned and resist the divisive force that is plaguing us today,” the letter said.
The opposition leaders are deliberately being targeted by different central agencies, the country's image is maligned internationally and bitter dissensions are created within, it said.
Banerjee said the presidential election gives the perfect opportunity for all opposition parties to reconvene and deliberate on the future course of Indian politics.
“The election is monumental because it gives legislators the opportunity to participate in deciding the head of our state who is the custodian of our democracy. At a time when our democracy is going through troubling times, I believe that a fruitful confluence of opposition voices is the need of the hour; to echo the deprived and unrepresented communities,” the letter said.
The Left parties, meanwhile, hit out at Banerjee for calling the meeting of opposition leaders ahead of the presidential poll and said it was "unilateral", "improper" and done without any consultation.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that June 15 has already been decided as the day of meeting by senior leaders of opposition parties, including Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin.
CPI general secretary D. Raja said he has received the letter on email but did not know who Banerjee consulted with before calling for the meeting.
"Calling a meeting without prior consultation is improper. The situation demands the unity of all secular democratic parties. I don't know how other parties will react to Banerjee convening such a meeting. As far as CPI is concerned, we will have to consult with other parties and also discuss internally for a final decision," he said.
As many as 4,809 electors comprising MPs and MLAs will vote to elect incumbent Ram Nath Kovind's successor. Going by its strength in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, as well as in many state assemblies, the BJP is in a comfortable position to ensure the victory of the candidate nominated by it in the upcoming election.
Kovind's term ends on July 24 and an election for the next president has to be held before that day.
The opposition is likely to put up a joint candidate despite not having numbers on its side and consultations in this regard have already begun.
Quoting sources, PTI reported that Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has reached out to leaders of some opposition parties and sought their views for a joint opposition candidate who can be fielded.
