Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 4 : Amid reports of the INDIA bloc meeting scheduled for August 7 at Rahul Gandhi's residence in Delhi, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday confirmed that party chief Uddhav Thackeray has been invited and will attend the meeting.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said, "On 7th August, there is a meeting of the INDIA bloc. Rahul Gandhi has extended an invitation for it. He has personally called up everyone and extended an invitation."
Raut added that Thackeray will reach Delhi on August 6 and will be there till the 8th.
"Uddhav Thackeray will come to Delhi on 6th August for the meeting on 7th. He will be in Delhi till 8th August. He will attend the meeting and meet everyone. He will also visit our new party office at the Parliament premises. We will try to meet the tall leaders in Delhi", he added further.
Earlier, sources said on Sunday that the members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) will be meeting over dinner at Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's residence on August 7.
The announcement of the August 7 meeting comes a day after the former Congress president asserted that at least 70-80 Lok Sabha seats might have been rigged in the 2024 general elections, while addressing the party's conclave on Saturday.
The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, alleged voter list manipulation in Maharashtra, Operation Sindoor, India-US trade deal, and the tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump are likely to be discussed during the meeting.
This is the INDIA bloc's second meeting since the commencement of the Parliament monsoon session. During the July 19 virtual meeting, at least 24 members of the bloc attended, including NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray.
Meanwhile, National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah has also confirmed his attendance for the meet. He said on August 2 (Saturday) that he will discuss the ongoing Bihar SIR during the meet, which he alleged has been used to make sure that the ruling BJP-JD(U) alliance will win the assembly polls.
"The elections in Bihar already have an arrangement that the party currently in power will win. I am going to visit him (Rahul Gandhi), the leaders have been called on August 7, I will find out (about Congress leader's allegations)," Farooq Abdullah told reporters in Jammu.
Communist Party's D Raja has also said that the Lok Sabha LoP has been "calling up people" to discuss the issue; however, he mentioned that "no particular agenda" has been discussed.