Presidential Election 2022: Mamata-led 'opposition meet' today; AAP, KCR may 'skip'

New Delhi, Jun 15: A big meeting today called by Mamata Banerjee to discuss a joint strategy for the Presidential elections 2022 which will be held next month sorely tested opposition unity amid efforts by various leaders to put up a front to take on the ruling BJP in polls ahead, including the 2024 national election.

Banerjee had earlier written a letter to 22 leaders, including Left parties, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and chief ministers of opposition-ruled states.

"Aam Aadmi Party will not participate in the meeting of Opposition parties to be held today regarding the Presidential Elections. AAP will consider the matter only after the Presidential candidate is declared," sources said on Wednesday.

Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who also has the common goal of defeating BJP, has also decided to opt out of the meeting citing Congress' presence. "There is no question of sharing any platform with the Congress," said the TRS in a statement.

The West Bengal Chief Minister is in the national capital for the meeting aimed to explore the possibility of formulating a common strategy with other opposition parties for the Presidential polls.

Several opposition leaders will take part in the meeting called on Wednesday by Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee to discuss Presidential polls to put up a united fight against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance.

Other leaders who would take part in the meeting include former minister HD Deve Gowda and his son and Janata Dal (S) leader HD Kumaraswamy, Rashtriya Lok Dal's Jayant Chaudhary and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti.

MK Stalin's Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) will be represented by TR Baalu while Shiv Sena's Subhash Desai will attend the meeting. Samajwadi Party and National Conference will also attend the meeting.

The Presidential elections will take place on July 18 and the results will be declared on July 21.