Date:13/08/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/08/13/stories/2003081309871100.htm

National

Somnath to host dinner for Opposition

By K.V. Prasad

NEW DELHI AUG.12. In what could provide a major boost to Opposition unity, leaders of various political parties are expected to attend a dinner being hosted by the CPI(M) parliamentary party leader, Somnath Chatterjee, here tomorrow.

Mr. Chatterjee has invited almost all the leaders of the entire Opposition to the dinner, which would be attended by veteran Marxist leader, Jyoti Basu. Mr. Basu is currently here to attend a meeting of the CPI(M) Politburo which began today.

Among those who are expected to attend are Congress president Sonia Gandhi, CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Surjeet, his CPI counterpart A.B. Bardhan, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Lok Janshakti Party leader Arif Muhammad, RLD president Ajit Singh and RSP member Sanat Kumar Mandal. Others invited include the Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, Shivraj Patil, CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury and SP general secretary Amar Singh. The NCP chief, Sharad Pawar, has expressed his inability to attend the meeting due to a prior commitment.

The meeting assumes significance in the wake of speculation of early Lok Sabha polls. It would be also the first occasion for these leaders to interact with Ms. Gandhi after the recent Shimla conclave where the Congress made its intention of forming appropriate alliances-coalitions. The last time Mr. Chatterjee hosted a dinner a couple of years ago saw Ms. Gandhi and Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav break bread together.