At a time Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seen in defensive mood for the first time during his two and half year’s period as he failed to pacify public impatience rolled out of demonetization, Congress President Sonia Gandhi is stepping in to bring together opposition parties by convening a meeting on December 27.
Narendra Modi is today keeping away himself from party’s prestigious `Maha Parivarthan yatra’ rally in Lucknow, as culmination of BJP’s four Parivartan Yatras after covering 18,000 kilometres in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh. In fact this rally was originally scheduled for last week, but was postponed for want of Modi’s presence. BJP sources says that Modi is worry about poor-resopnse to his rallies in UP.
Meanwhile, in a setback to Modi President Pranab Mukherjee has given his assent to the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Fifth Ordinance 2016, only after expressing his displeasure to the Centre over using this route repeatedly for promulgating law.
On the other hand, Sonia Gandhi has been reaching out to Opposition leaders who had made common cause with the party to oppose the demonetisation decision of the Modi government during the Parliament session. She has invited calling leaders of non-BJP political parties to chart the future course of action on taking on the Centre over demonetisation. As many as 15 opposition parties are expected to participate.
She felt that Congress is succeeding in returning to the centre stage of opposition politics during Winter Session of Parliament. The Winter Session had witnessed rare Opposition unity with arch rivals Trinamool Congress and the CPM, SP and the BSP along with 10 other parties joining the Congress in protesting the implementation of the note ban.
Besides Sonia Gandhi, her political secretary Ahmed Patel and leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad have been reaching out to leaders of the Opposition parties. The leaders are also expected to address a joint press conference and announce their programme in the New Year to protest demonetisation.
