Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has invited chief ministers of non-BJP states and other opposition leaders to a meeting to galvanise the unity and emphasise the salient role of her party in shaping the battle against Narendra Modi-led Centre.

The virtual meeting will be held on 20 August in which chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin have been invited.

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The online deliberations will likely culminate in another lunch or dinner meet the Congress is planning in Delhi.

Significant opposition leaders like NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut are also expected to participate.

Raut while speaking to the newspersons said that the opposition in united and “On 20 August Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi will speak to the CMs of Congress-ruled states. Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray will also take part in the meeting”.

The opposition has solidified into a single entity to decry and launch sustained protests over the Pegasus snooping allegations, farm laws and surging fuel prices in both the Houses of the Parliament that led to a sputtering Monsoon Session.

Prime Minister Modi had reacted sharply towards the opposition for stalling the progress of the business of the House and was miffed while addressing the BJP parliamentary party meet.

Yesterday the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die two days before schedule and hours later, amid ruckus and growing chaos, the Rajya Sabha also saw similar end.

The online interaction and previously Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s breakfast meet over Pegasus strategy in the Parliament indicates an effort by the Congress to coalesce and challenge the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Gandhi’s leadership has triggered some doubts and clouds the foremost face of the opposition to lead as party veterans have incessantly advocated for an overhaul of the leadership and present an alternative to the Gandhi trio at the helm.

Naresh Gujral of the Akali Dal directly attacked the Gandhis saying, “unless the party gets out of the family clutches it will be very difficult to strengthen the party”.

Earlier, party sources have indicated that Sonia Gandhi is likely to appoint a Congress working president that would reduce her burden and also coordinate among various factions of the party especially the ‘G-23’.