Mayawati likely to meet Sonia, Rahul Gandhi and others today in capital

NEW DELHI: The sweeping victory of the BJP-led NDA forecast by most exit polls notwithstanding, opposition parties intensified their pre-results networking on Sunday. TDP chief and Andhra CM N Chandrababu Naidu, who returned from Lucknow, conveyed to various opposition leaders that BSP chief Mayawati, who is seen to be positioning herself for leadership role in the opposition in anticipation of a hung verdict on May 23, could reach Delhi on Monday to hold talks with them, including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

While some opposition leaders said any definite moves will happen only after the results are declared, the proposed meeting between Mayawati and Sonia on Monday, a fallout of Naidu’s meeting with BSP and SP chiefs on Sunday, is being seen by these leaders as a serious post-poll “ice breaker” effort after the BSP and SP refused to have any alliance with the Congress in UP and elsewhere during the LS polls.

Mayawati’s supporters have been projecting her as a potential PM of the opposition should there be a hung verdict. However, there was no word from Mayawati on the proposed meeting, even as Naidu, who left for Andhra in the evening, was slated to return to Delhi on Monday morning.


Naidu held talks on Sunday with Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury and RJD leader Sharad Yadav in Delhi, besides briefing Sonia Gandhi. Thereafter, Rahul met former PM Manmohan Singh and some other senior party leaders.