Congress, 7 oppn parties meet to formulate joint strategy

The leaders decided to meet again tomorrow to finalise a common strategy as today's meeting remained inconclusive in absence of leaders from BSP, SP, DMK and NCP.

New Delhi, Nov 14 Seeking to corner the government in Parliament on the demonetisation issue, major opposition parties, including arch rivals TMC and CPI(M), today held deliberations to finalise a common strategy alleging that the decision was a "scripted scam" which was leaked to the ruling BJP much in advance.

The meeting, held in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, saw rivals TMC and Left coming together with leaders of YSR Congress, JMM, RJD and JDU to discuss ways to put the Government on the mat in Parliament.

The leaders decided to meet again tomorrow to finalise a common strategy as today's meeting remained inconclusive in absence of leaders from BSP, SP, DMK and NCP.

The Winter Session of Parliament starts from November 16. After the meeting, Azad said there was consensus among parties against black money but equally everyone felt that the Government had leaked the demonetisation information to the ruling BJP and a "scripted scam".

"There was consensus against black money in the meeting but everyone was against the way demonetisation was implemented. It came suddenly and the information was leaked to the ruling party while other parties learnt of it only two hours before it was to roll out. This is a scam and we will raise it in Parliament," Azad said.

Asked if opposition parties will join the TMC delegation to the President on November 16, Azad said, "The question is not who is going with them or who is leading. The question is when to go, which date to go, whether to go mid-session or later."

To a question about whether there was consensus on anything in the meeting, Azad said there was consensus on questioning the Government over the way the decision was leaked to the ruling party.

"There is a difference between us and the Government so far as logic of demonetisation goes. The Government says it has done what it has done whether people live or die. We are saying we are against black money but also against the way demonetization was implemented.

"The government leaked it to the ruling party. Rest of the parties were told only two hours in advance. People are also being inconvenienced all over. We will meet again tomorrow to discuss these issues since all parties were not present today. We don't have to evolve a one day strategy. It has to be a strategy for the whole session," said Azad.

PTI