Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot held a meeting with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday at his residence in Amaravati to give shape to the joint campaign to defeat the BJP-led NDA in 2019 general election.

After the crucial meeting, Gehlot and Naidu said that the leaders from non-BJP opposition parties will be invited to meet in New Delhi on November 22 to discuss and “build an organisational structure” for the anti-BJP platform.

“This is broadly an anti-BJP platform. This is in the interest of the nation. Save democracy, save the nation and save institutions — that is the national agenda, an utmost important agenda,” both the leaders told the reporters.

The meeting will be attended by Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Chandrababu Naidu and leaders of other opposition parties. They are also expected to discuss a common programme for the proposed front.

Naidu said he would meet Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on November 19-20 in Kolkatta to invite her to join the proposed non-BJP front.

The TDP chief told reporters that he was already in touch with Banerjee, but would personally meet her to invite her to join the efforts for opposition unity. He would also invite her to the November 22 meeting.

Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda, Aam Admi Party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, DMK leader M.K. Stalin and other leaders will also be invited to November 22 meeting.

Intensifying his efforts to cobble together anti-BJP front, Naidu met Deve Gowda and DMK leaders over the last two days.

Addressing a joint news conference with Gehlot, Naidu targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah saying they had ruined the secular, social and economic fabric of India.

“Both Narendra Modi and Amit Shah ruined the country with their ego and adamant attitude,” said Naidu, whose TDP walked out of BJP-led NDA in March this year.

Gehlot said the opposition parties were coming together to form a front to save democracy. He said there was an undeclared emergency in the country and all democratic institutions were being destroyed.

(With agency inputs)