Despite invitation to 5 Cong leaders, none turned up at Rashtriya Manch meeting at Pawar's residence

By Amit Kumar

New Delhi [India], June 22 (ANI): No Congress leader, it is learnt, attended Tuesday's high-profile political meeting at veteran leader and NCP chief Sharad Pawar's Delhi residence held under the banner of Rashtriya Manch. It is learnt that an invitation was sent to almost all opposition parties including Congress leaders.

Among the big names from other opposition parties who turned up included-- Trinamool Congress leader Yashwant Sinha, Rashtriya Lokdal President Jayant Chaudhary and Communist Party of India MP Binoy Viswam, Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Nilotapal Basu and the National Conference leader Omar Abdullah.

Updating media persons on the absence of Congress leaders from the meeting, NCP leader Majid Menon said he personally invited five Congress leaders--Kapil Sibbal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Vivek Tankha, Manish Tiwari--"but some reason they could not attend the meeting."

"I want to clarify that today meeting is not called against BJP, and also clear that today meeting has not called by Sharad Pawar but by Yashwant Sinha under the banner of Rashtriya Manch. You can not call a political meeting,' the ex NCP Rajya Sabha MP Menon said.

Ghanshyam Tiwary, coordinator of Rashtriya Manch said that in the two and a half-hour meeting leaders discussed various thing including the current situation of the economy.

"It was a two and a half-hour long meeting. Various topics were discussed including the current situation of the economy, price rise of essential commodities, fuel price, COVID mismanagement and Centre-state relation," said Tiwary.

Rashtra Manch is a political action group that was set up by former union minister Yashwant Sinha in 2018. (ANI)