Opposition strategy meet held at Sonia Gandhi’s residence

New Delhi, Dec 14: A strategy meet of Opposition parties was held at the residence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday, as Opposition continues its protest against suspension of 12 MPs from Rajya Sabha.
The meeting was attended by NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, DMK’s TR Balu, CPI-M’s Sitaram Yechury, and National Conference’s Farooq Abdullah along with other leaders. Trinamool Congress was however not present at the meeting. There was also no confirmation of parties like SP and BSP being a part of the meeting.
Sources said NCP leader Sharad Pawar will talk to Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu about the suspension. The government has maintained that opposition leaders need to apologize for their conduct on the last day of Monsoon Session.
Trinamool Congress is among the parties which had its MPs suspended. As Opposition took out a protest march to Vijay Chowk from Parliament complex on Tuesday, TMC leader Derek O’Brien in a tweet said, “Amused. Some political parties have the ability to come up with genuine IDEAS for protest inside and outside Parliament. Some political parties then try so hard to own (and appropriate) those ideas. Truly amusing”.
The 12 MPs who have been suspended are, Elamaram Kareem, CPI (M), Phulo Devi Netam (INC), Chhaya Verma (INC), Ripun Bora (INC), Binoy Viswam (CPI), Rajmani Patel (INC), Dola Sen (TMC), Shanta Chhetri (TMC), Syed Nasir Hussain (INC), Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena), Anil Desai (Shiv Sena) and Akhilesh Prasad Singh (INC).
The MPs were suspended for the whole duration of the Winter Session of Parliament.