Days after NCP supremo Sharad Pawar held a meeting of Opposition leaders, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday presided over another meeting of the Opposition to plan a joint strategy for the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament and work towards a greater unity to take on the BJP in the upcoming polls. .
Top leaders from 17 parties including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, senior party leaders Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mallikarjun Kharge; NCP chief Sharad Pawar; National Conference President Farooq Abdullah, RJD's Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav, TMC's Derek O'Brien, CPI national secretary D Raja and Samajwadi Party's Ramgopal Yadav attended the meeting. Addressing the leaders, Sonia appealed to them to work together on various issues of national importance and be careful as far as ideology of hate is concerned. "Rampant violence across caste creed and community is a matter of concern. Constitutional institutions are being undermined. While economic health of the country remains precarious, unemployment looms large in the nation and government is doing nothing," Sonia stated. She also highlighted the price rise issue for essential commodities and the massive hike in fuel prices through a hidden strategy.
Briefing the media about the meeting, Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that Sonia Gandhi talked about the misuse of Aadhar number of citizens.