After Mayawati, Sonia Gandhi Pulls Out of Lalu Yadav’s Grand Opposition Rally in Patna

The RJD's rally is being seen as an attempt to forge a larger alliance to challenge the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Updated: August 24, 2017 12:28 AM IST

By India.com News Desk

After Mayawati, Sonia Gandhi Pulls Out of Lalu Yadav's Grand Opposition Rally in Patna
Lalu Prasad Yadav and Sonia Gandhi. (Photo: PTI)

Patna, August 23: Congress President Sonia Gandhi and BSP supremo Mayawati will not attend RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s “grand opposition” rally in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan which will be held on August 27.

The two senior leaders refraining from attending the RJD rally is considered to be a setback for Lalu, who was expecting to flex muscles against the ruling BJP by gathering the topmost Opposition faces on the same dias.

The event, dubbed by Lalu as “BJP Bhagao, Desh Bachao rally”, is being planned by the RJD over the past two months, with senior party members considering it to be the first major step towards pitching for Opposition unity ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

On Wednesday evening, Lalu confirmed reporters here that neither Sonia nor Mayawati would be turning up at his rally. However, the 70-year-old said his rally would be “successful” as Opposition leaders are backing him irrespective of their presence.

“I spoke to Mayawati ji, she will send BSP’s general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra as her representatives at the rally. While Sonia Gandhi will send senior Congress functionary Ghulam Nabi Azad at the rally,” Lalu Yadav was quoted as saying by PTI.

However, Lalu added that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has confirmed her presence at his rally that will be held on Sunday. Lalu also claimed that Sharad Yadav, JD(U)’s former president and Rajya Sabha MP, would also attend the rally with his supporters.

Lalu Yadav also rejected BJP’s appeal to postpone the rally in view of the grim flood situation in Bihar. “BJP leaders should not teach me. If I postpone the rally will it lead to the end of floods in Bihar?” he said.

Lalu asked that the BJP must explain to people as to how embankments of different rivers were broken when the state government had spent around Rs 600 crore on their maintenance.

RJD chief also questioned PM Narendra Modi’s proposed aerial survey of flood-affected Bihar, saying why is he visiting the victims when the flood is over and the floodwaters are receding.

“I have come to know that Prime Minister Modi will visit flood-hit Bihar to take stock of the situation. It is a drama and the flood is an excuse. He is coming on an air trip. He will now visit flood victims as the floodwaters are receding. Where was he when nearly 400 people died and lakhs of people were forced to flee their homes and take shelter on elevated roads and embankments under the sky,” Lalu said here at a press conference.

He said neither Modi nor his Cabinet ministers, including those from Bihar, visited the victims.

(With inputs from PTI)

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