Ahead of Dec 10 opposition meet, BSP keeps all guessing

New Delhi, Dec 3: In a bid to cut into the vote share of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, the opposition is pinning its hopes on a BSP-SP-RLD tie up for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

In this context, the opposition has scheduled a crucial meeting on December 10, but the BSP has kept everyone guessing. The Samajwadi Party has however confirmed its presence for the meeting, but the BSP is yet to follow suit.

The Congress which would be leading this meeting is yet to get a confirmation from BSP supremo, Mayawati. The party is still not clear if the meeting would be attended by Mayawati herself or by her deputy Satish Chandra Misra.

The meeting is scheduled to be held on December 10 at 3.30 pm at Parliament House Annexe. The BSP is however expected to take its time in making a decision. It would not want to be part of any meeting until a seat sharing arrangement in UP is reached. The party which put up a dismal performance in both the assembly polls and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections wants a fair share of the seats, before it makes any commitment.

The meeting will be attended by Dravida Munnetra Kazagham's M K Stalin, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejashwi Yadav, Telugu Desam Party's Chandrababu Naidu, NCP's Sharad Pawar, JD (S) leader and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, National Conference chairman Farooq Abdullah CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The chairperson of the UPA, Sonia Gandhi too would attend the meeting.