At meet with Sonia Gandhi, Opposition unity in state-wise manner discussed: Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut. File pic

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday informed that the main agenda, during a meeting of several opposition leaders including him with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, was the Opposition's unity in a state-wise manner.

Speaking to the media here in New Delhi after meeting with Sonia Gandhi, Raut said, "Our main agenda was Opposition unity in a state-wise manner. This was the first meeting, we will meet again tomorrow (on Wednesday), Sharad Pawar will also be there." Earlier in the day, top Opposition party leaders gathered at the residence of Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi to discuss the strategy to question the government in the ongoing winter session of Parliament.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP TR Baalu, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge were among those who participated in the meeting.

Earlier on Tuesday, Opposition MPs held a protest march from Parliament to Vijay Chowk. Opposition parties including Congress, DMK, RJD, Left, NCP, and TMC also staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha after their demand to revoke the suspension of 12 MPs was rejected by Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh.

The members were suspended for alleged unruly conduct towards the end of the monsoon session in August when marshals were called after Opposition members stormed the Well of the House during the passage of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021.

The suspended members comprise six from the Congress, two each from Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena, and one each from CPI and CPM: Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain and Akhilesh Prasad Singh of Congress; Dola Sen, Shanta Chhetri of Trinamool Congress; Priyanka Chaturvedi, Anil Desai of Shiv Sena; Elamaram Kareem of CPM; and, Binoy Viswam of CPI.

All the suspended 12 MPs often sit-in protest near Mahatma Gandhi statue inside the Parliament premises demanding revocation of suspension, and the Opposition parties have been relentlessly disrupting House proceedings every day over the issue barring a few occasions.

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