The opposition leaders are to discuss the joint rallies in Patna, Nagpur, Chennai, Guwahati and their grand culmination in Delhi. The plan was moooted about the rallies during CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechuri’s meeting in Patna with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad early this week. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was approached on Friday to give his nod, keeping aside the Khaira issue creating fissures between Congress and AAP.
The alliance may take up specific issues at the rallies: Caste census and social justice in Patna, so-called attack on the Constitution and the Constitutional bodies in Nagpur, Centre-State relations in Chennai, violence in Manipur and lack of development in Guwahati.
The leaders are to announce poll promises at the grand show of strength in New Delhi’s Ramlila Grounds that may include unemployment allowance, unrban employment guarantee scheme, strengthening of the food security act, free health care and restoration of the old pension schme.
Kharge is to persuade Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to make Mann withdraw the case against Khaira to let the joint meeting be held in Delhi and let AAP sponsor it.
A Congress leader said the alliance needs to show a united front and hold at least one rally before the festival season begins in October-end.
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