Seeking opposition unity, Kharge dials Kejriwal

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge telephoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday, a day after the Aam Aadmi Party convenor was summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation, and stressed the need for opposition parties to unite against the BJP ahead of the 2024 general elections, sources said.

Kharge is learnt to have expressed solidarity with Kejriwal, who will appear before the CBI for questioning in the Delhi excise policy case on Sunday, they said.

The CBI on Friday summoned Kejriwal to answer queries of the investigating team as a witness in the excise policy case. His former deputy Manish Sisodia was arrested in the case last month.

Kharge's outreach is part of the Congress' efforts to bring several like-minded parties together on a common platform in their fight against the BJP.

The Congress president will be hosting a meeting of senior leaders of various parties in the next few days to chalk out a common programme. Kharge has already spoken to a number of opposition leaders.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh attended meetings of opposition parties during the recently concluded Budget session of Parliament and has been vocal against the BJP government on the Adani issue and the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the matter.