With the possibility of a fractured mandate looming large, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has started calling up Opposition leaders requesting their “availability” and “accessibility” in Delhi post the last phase of Lok Sabha polls on May 19.
AICC sources confirmed the former Congress chief who had taken the lead in the formation of UPA in 2004 has been active from the confines of her 10 Janpath to bring all UPA allies, even regional heavyweights and neutral players like BJD, TRS, on board with a clear motive to block the Modi juggernaut from returning to power at the Centre.
Congress leaders recalled as how Sonia had reached out to Left and rushed to Chennai to meet DMK chief M Karunanidhi once the results suggested that Atal Bihari Vajpayee could not form the Government in 2004.
“While she reached to Harkishen Singh Surjit in a hospital, she rushed to DMK even after having long-time differences with them,” said a senior leader.
The entire exercise is being done to get the first invite from President Ram Nath Kovind to form the Government. Sources said the Congress has taken the initiative in calling for this meeting as it does not want to lose any time in case the BJP does not get a majority.
“All have a common agenda, be it BJD, TRS or any other as they would never like to be part of the arrogant BJP-led Modi Government. Some of them already in NDA and feeling suffocated for long may switch over sides post May 23 afternoon,” said a top Congress leader.
Sonia due to ill health had not been quite active in this Lok Sabha polls leaving the entire campaign on her children — party chief Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi.
Soon after the third phase of polls, select group of Congress leaders picked by Sonia had been making efforts to reach out to regional parties.
Besides Chandrababu Naidu, who has expressed his keenness in Congress-led Government after leaving Modi Government two years ago, other definite parties are NCP (Sharad Pawar), DMK (MK Stalin), TMC and RJD.
Chandrababu Naidu had last week met Rahul Gandhi, asking him to call a meeting of all Opposition parties two days before the result is announced so that all Opposition leaders can regroup and discuss strategy.
While KCR has been making moves for a non-BJP, non-Congress third front, recently he indicated that he would be open to joining the grand alliance, but would not give the drivers’ seat to the grand old party.
“Sonia Gandhi has been in regular touch with Pawar, have called Mamata, Stalin, Left leaders personally during the last couple of days while party senior leaders are in touch with BSP-SP alliance leaderships, TRS, BJD and even Jaganmohan Reddy’s YSRCP,” said the party leader.
UPA allies will begin meeting informally post the last phase of polling on May 19. “There will be several meetings conducted between different regional players to discuss possibilities post May 19. And then, once the result comes in, a joint meeting will be chaired by UPA chairperson on May 23 or May 24,” added the AICC source.
