Opposition breaks bread, flexes muscle on NDA 3rd anniversary

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Friday hosted a lunch for leaders of 17 parties including some traditional arch-rivals broke bread and flexed muscles while attacking the NDA government’s policies.  

On the NDA government’s third anniversary on Friday, a united opposition said that if the ruling dispensation fails to come up with a consensus candidate with secular credentials for the presidential poll, it will field someone who shall “steadfastly defend” the country’s constitutional values.

The meeting saw opposition leaders attack the government on the grave situation in Kashmir and Saharanpur and alleged that various sections of society -- Dalits, youth, women, poor and oppressed sections were facing atrocities in this regime.

Apart from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and CPI-M’s Sitaram Yechury, BSP’s Mayawati and SP’s Akhilesh Yadav, sat under one platform and attended the lunch together with other opposition leaders - NCPs’ Sharad Pawar, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and DMK’s Kanimozhi.

After skipping the lunch meet with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday clarified that his absence was being wrongly interpreted as Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav was already representing his party in the meeting.

“I had met Sonia ji in April and already discussed the issues which were discussed this time. This time she invited all the parties for lunch. Former national president of our party Sharad Yadav went for the lunch on behalf of JD (U). There is no such thing that I skipped the lunch. This is mere misinterpretation,” Nitish told media here.

Nitish on Friday missed the lunch organized by the Congress President, which was attended by Sharad Yadav. The JD (U) chief, who is scheduled to attend a lunch tomorrow hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the national capital, in the honour of Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, said he was looking forward to it.

“I will attend Prime Minister Modi lunch as it is being organized in the honour of Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth,” Nitish said.