2024 LS Polls: NDA meet comes on same day as Opposition's key meeting in Bengaluru

With an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the top leaders of at least 24 political parties will attend the second Opposition unity meeting that Congress will convene in Karnataka's Bengaluru from July 17 to 18. As many as eight new parties have extended their support to the Opposition political parties' efforts to present a united front against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre. 

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Kongu Desa Makkal Katchi (KDMK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), All India Forward Bloc, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kerala Congress (Joseph), and Kerala Congress (Mani) are among the new political parties that will be joining the meeting, according to ANI reports. 

Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge has invited top opposition leaders to participate in the second unity meeting. He reminded them about their participation in June 23 opposition meeting held in Patna called by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

"The meeting was a great success as we were able to discuss various important issues that threaten our democratic polity and came to a unanimous agreement on unitedly fighting the next General Elections," Kharge said. 

Amidst the Opposition parties' joint efforts to unite against the Modi government for the 2024 polls, the BJP-led NDA has also called for a meeting on July 18 in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.

Several new allies and some former ones, including Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan, may attend the BJP-led NDA meeting on July 18 in a show of strength by the ruling alliance. 

Sources said the BJP president has written similar letters to leaders of various parties, including those the ruling party has reached out to ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, as per PTI reports. 

A number of new BJP allies, including the Shiv Sena headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the NCP faction headed by Ajit Pawar, several smaller parties from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and regional parties from the northeastern states, are among those expected to attend the NDA meeting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be present at the meeting. 

Jan Sena Chief Pawan Kalyan, who enjoys some influence in Andhra Pradesh, will take part in the meeting, his party said. He has been a BJP ally and is also seen close to be close to the TDP, PTI reported. 

While there is no clarity yet on how many parties will be represented in the meeting, sources asserted that their numbers will see a big rise from the 14 which had recently issued a joint letter against the major opposition parties' boycott of the inauguration of the new Parliament building.

(With inputs from agencies)