New Delhi: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has decided not to participate in the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led opposition meeting to discuss the upcoming presidential polls.
The decision was taken after Mamata Banerjee extended invitation to Congress too. As TRS do not want to share any platform with Congress, it has decided to boycott the meeting.
Earlier, TRS has made it clear that it wants to keep equidistance from both BJP and Congress.
Although, the party has decided to boycott the meeting, no decision has been taken over the voting in the presidential polls.
Sources informed that Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party is also not participating in the meeting, ANI reported.
Who are attending the meeting?
The leaders who would likely to take part in the meeting include former minister HD Deve Gowda and his son and Janata Dal (S) leader HD Kumaraswamy, Rashtriya Lok Dal’s Jayant Chaudhary and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti.
MK Stalin’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) will be represented by TR Baalu while Shiv Sena’s Subhash Desai will attend the meeting.
Samajwadi Party and National Conference will also attend the meeting.
Sources said Congress will also participate in the meeting to be held at the Constitution Club. Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Jairam Ramesh, and Randeep Singh Surjewala are likely to attend the meeting.
Banerjee sent invitation to former BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal
Banerjee has also sent an invitation to former BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal but it is unlikely to attend the meeting.
Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja on Tuesday said that Left parties are likely to attend the meeting. CPI-M and other Left parties are rivals of the ruling TMC in Bengal.
Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal, which has been invited, is unlikely to attend the meeting.
Banerjee had earlier written a letter to 22 leaders, including Left parties, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and chief ministers of opposition-ruled states.
The presidential elections will take place on July 18 and the results will be declared on July 21.
With inputs from ANI
