Pawar meets Prashant Kishor again ahead of Opposition conclave

A day earlier than internet hosting Opposition leaders at his Delhi residence, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Monday met election strategist Prashant Kishor, triggering hypothesis {that a} Third Front is taking form ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Mr Pawar’s assembly with Mr Kishor — their second prior to now 10 days — intensified hypothesis of a entrance the place regional events like NCP and Trinamool Congress will play a key function in taking up the Narendra Modi authorities, with out in accordance primacy to the Congress.

Mr Kishor, nonetheless, denied that Tuesday’s assembly was being convened at his suggestion and clarified that he wouldn’t be half of it.

The proposed assembly will happen underneath the banner of Rashtra Manch, a entrance based by former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, who’s now a Trinamool Congress member, to debate the “national scenario”.

“We shall have a meeting of the Rashtra Manch tomorrow at 4 p.m. Sri Sharad Pawar has kindly agreed to host the meeting at his place,” Mr. Sinha tweeted.

The Congress refused to touch upon the event although it’s an ally of Mr. Pawar’s NCP and the Shiv Sena within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) authorities in Maharashtra since November 2019.

Though the listing of invitees was not instantly clear sources mentioned the Manch had despatched invites to outstanding Opposition leaders from throughout the spectrum together with Farooq Abdullah (National Conference), Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), D. Raja (CPI), Sanjay Singh (Aam Aadmi Party), Manoj Jha (RJD) and Congress parliamentarians like Manish Tewari, Vivek Tankha and Kapil Sibal.

“The following prominent political leaders and eminent persons from different sections of society will attend the meeting to discuss the current scenario in our country. Yashwant Sinha, Pawan Verma, Sanjay Singh, D. Raja, Farooq Abdullah, Justice A.P. Singh, Javed Akhtar, K.T.S. Tulsi, Karan Thapar, Ashutosh, Adv. Majeed Memon, Vandana Chavan MP, S.Y. Qureshi former CEC, K.C. Singh, Sanjay Jha, Sudheendra Kulkarni, Colin Gonsalves, Arun Kumar, economist, Ghanshyam Tiwari and Pritish Nandi,” tweeted Maharashtra Minister and NCP chief Nawab Malik.

However, sources advised The Puucho that neither Left leaders like Mr. Yechury and Mr. Raja nor the Congress MPs can be attending the assembly.

“NCP’s Majeed Memon has been calling leaders but there is no clarity on the purpose of the meeting, participants or what it sets out to do. Also, will we attend in our individual capacities or represent our parties,” mentioned a pacesetter who has acquired an invite.

With speak of regional entrance gaining floor, the Congress has additionally convened a gathering of its normal secretaries and State in-charges on June 24 to debate the present political scenario and the social gathering’s technique to reply to them.