Pawar, Sharad Yadav, Hardik Patel, D Raja, Omar meet in Mumbai

Mumbai: Opposition leaders Sharad Pawar, Sharad Yadav, D Raja, Hardik Patel, Omar Abdullah, Dinesh Trivedi and Sushilkumar Shinde met here today, ahead of the ‘Save Constitution’ march. The meeting took place at the official residence of leader of opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil in south Mumbai.

NCP leaders Praful Patel and D P Tripathi and former MP Ram Jethmalani were also present. Trinamool Congress has deputed Trivedi, a former railway minister, for the opposition march. The ‘Save Constitution’ march is being seen as an attempt to consolidate anti-BJP forces ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The Maharashtra unit of the BJP too has organised ‘Tiranga Yatra’ in the city today. Independent MP from Maharashtra Raju Shetti, the convener of the ‘Save Constitution’ march, who was also present at the meeting, said participants will gather at Dr B R Ambedkars statue near Mumbai university and walk to Shivaji Maharajs statue at the Gateway of India.

“This will be a silent morcha (march). After reaching the Gateway (of India), they will stage a sit-in for some time. There will be no speeches,” he said. Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan and Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam will also take part in the march. Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, is also expected to attend.

Sharad Pawar (NCP), Sharad Yadav (rebel JD-U leader), D Raja (CPI), Hardik Patel (Gujarat’s Patidar leader), Omar Abdullah (Jammu and Kashmir National Conference), Dinesh Trivedi (Trinamool Congress) and Sushilkumar Shinde (Congress) attended the meeting.