In a big jolt to the unity of INDIA bloc, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is unlikely to participate in the INDIA bloc meeting scheduled to be held in New Delhi on June 8, sources said on Thursday. According to reports, at least 15 Opposition parties are likely to participate in the meeting, scheduled for Monday, including the Congress.
The June 8 meeting, would be the first gathering of the opposition’s bloc, after the results of the recently concluded assembly elections, in four states including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and one Union Territory Puducherry.
Senior leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc are scheduled come together and discuss their joint strategy to take on the BJP-led government and reinforce opposition unity.
Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav Others To Attend
TMC supremo and former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge are among those likely to attend the meeting, as per the sources.
Why DMK May Skip The Meeting
The development follows a dramatic shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape after the Assembly elections, when the Congress parted ways with its long-time ally, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and backed the government led by actor-politician C Joseph Vijay and his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
The realignment brought an end to years of Congress-DMK collaboration and led to an exchange of barbs between the two parties.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already publicly distanced itself from the bloc and is not likely to attend the meeting, scheduled to take place at the Constitution Club.
With inputs from PTI