Congress president Sonia Gandhi held a virtual meeting on Friday with the leaders of 19 political parties, including the chief ministers of some Opposition-ruled states, amid efforts to boost Opposition unity and evolve a common strategy against the NDA government.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's meeting with Oppn leaders underway, via video conferencing | ANI photo

New Delhi:

Among those who participated in the meeting were NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her counterparts from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, Uddhav Thackeray and MK Stalin.

The meeting was part of the Congress leadership's efforts to unite various Opposition parties on key issues before the country, including the upcoming Assembly elections in some states.

Among the parties who took part in the meeting were TMC, NCP, DMK, Shiv Sena, JMM, CPI, CPI(M), NC, RJD, AIUDF, VCK, Loktantrik Janata Dal, JD(S), RLD, RSP, Kerala Congress (Mani), PDP and IUML.

Leaders of AAP, BSP and SP were not present at the meeting.