The largest opposition party in Lok Sabha the Congress party has decided to skip the all-party meeting called by PM Narendra Modi today. PM had called presidents of all political parties having at least on MP in either house of the parliament to discuss various issues. The top agenda is ‘One Nation, One Election’, a proposal to hold elections for Lok Sabha and all Vidhan Sabhas in the country simultaneously once in five years. But the Congress party has decided that its president Rahul Gandhi will not be attending the meeting.
Just In: #Congress to skip all party meeting called by Modi.
Photo: IANS pic.twitter.com/bxmvWNGgAl
— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) June 19, 2019
With the decision to not attend the meeting, Congress has joined a list of opposition parties which have decided to skip it. Earlier, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, DMK president M.K. Stalin, Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu, NCP leader Sharad Pawar and Aap Aadmi Party’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal had decided against attending the meeting.
As a reason to not attend, Mamata Banerjee had said that very little time was available to study the issue before attending the meeting. In later written to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, the Bengal CM has suggested circulating a white paper among the parties first seeking their views on the matter.
Gaurav Gogoi, Congress, on meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today: As far as I know our party is not attending the meeting. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/2lPpXDvJYa
— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2019
Assam Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi informed media that the party is not attending the meeting. But no reason has been given yet from the party for the decision.
On the other hand, AAP has decided to send Raghav Chadha to represent the party in place of the Delhi CM. The left parties have decided to attend the meeting, but they will oppose the idea of ‘One Nation, One Election’ in the meeting.