Oppn leaders meet today to discuss economic issues, RCEP

Senior opposition leers will assemble on Monday afteron to discuss slide in ecomy as well as ongoing Regional Comprehensive Ecomic Partnership negotiations in Bangkok and agreement's implications for India. UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi will le discussions at meeting that comes ahe of winter session of Parliament beginning vember 18.

NCP chief Shar Pawar is likely to attend meeting along with or opposition veterans such as CPM's general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI's D Raja as well as leers from TMC, RJD, AIUDF and DMK. discussions will focus on joint opposition strategy to corner government on poor ecomic indicators and India's decision to consider signing RCEP, sources said.

meeting will discuss strategy to take on government both inside and outside Parliament. Congress plans to hit streets from vember 5 to 15 to highlight "failures" of BJP government in Centre on issues such as "ecomic slowdown, rising unemployment and farm crisis".

Slamming RCEP, Gandhi on Saturday said agreement will deal a "body blow" to ecomy, resulting in "untold hardship" for farmers, shopkeepers and small enterprises. Monday's meeting is convened by leer of opposition Ghulam Nabi Az.