Rahul Gandhi speaks with Sharad Yadav, to attend Aug 17 Opposition meet

Congress VP Rahul Gandhi. (File photo)

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is learnt to have spoken with JD(U) rebel leader Sharad Yadav on Monday evening and confirmed that he will attend the Opposition conclave called by Yadav in Delhi on August 17. The conclave — ‘Saanjhi Virasat Ko Bachao’ (Save the Composite Culture) — is expected to be attended by leaders such as Sitaram Yechury of the CPI(M), D Raja (CPI), Derek O’Brien (TMC) and leaders from the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Yadav, who was back in New Delhi on Sunday evening after a three-day Jan Samvad programme in Bihar, where he took on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for aligning with the BJP, on Monday held talks with Opposition leaders such as Ahmed Patel, the political secretary of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Yechury and RLD chief Ajit Singh.

Yadav has spoken with BSP chief Mayawati, former Jharkhand CMs Babulal Marandi (JVM-P) and Hemant Soren (JMM) and Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Dalit icon B R Amedkar. Yadav, sources said, is confident NCP will send a representative.