Opposition to take shape with Mamata's visit to Delhi on Aug 29

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will go to Delhi on August 29 to meet the leaders of Opposition parties.

She will meet the Opposition leaders on August 30 and is likely to come back either on August 31 or September 1.

It was Banerjee who had taken the initiative to unite the Opposition parties against BJP. She has said repeatedly that BJP can be defeated if the Opposition parties can put up a united fight, burying their hatchets.

While addressing the Martyr's Day rally in Kolkata on July 21, Banerjee had said that BJP would get around 100 to 150 seats and would not do well in the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. She is trying to bring in Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav against BJP.

Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray had met her during one of her recent trips to Delhi. KCR, head of TRS, had come to Kolkata 3 months ago to meet her. As Banerjee has good relations with Karunanidhi's son M K Stalin, political experts said that in absence of Karunanidhi, the poll equation in Tamil Nadu will change and whether Banerjee can use the wave in favour of the Opposition, will be a matter to be seen.

Political experts said the meeting between Banerjee and Sonia Gandhi is important as Congress has to decide whether the party will go with Trinamool Congress in the forthcoming election in Bengal, as Banerjee's goal will be to bag all the 42 seats in Bengal in the Lok Sabha polls.

It is to be seen how Banerjee convinces N Chandrababu Naidu of TDP and KCR, as both have decided not to go with Congress. How many national leaders are going to attend the meeting or whether Banerjee will meet Rahul or Sonia Gandhi are not known yet. But political experts are keeping a close watch as the meeting on August 30 is likely to shape the fate of the Opposition.