Patna, Jun 21 (IANS): BJP senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi on Wednesday claimed that the Opposition meeting on Friday in Patna is taking place for a "Congress mukt Bharat" (Congress-free India).

Addressing reporters here, he said: "I want to make a point here that Mamata Benerjee does not want to contest the Lok Sabha elections with the Congress party. If the Trinamool Congress will contest only in West Bengal then the Congress will be wiped out from there. Similarly, Arvind Kejriwal has been asked by the Congress not to contest in Delhi and Punjab.

"KCR is saying the same thing for Telangana. Akhilesh Yadav is saying the same in Uttar Pradesh. So, Friday's meeting is not taking place for a 'BJP mukt' country but the regional parties are trying to make a 'Congress mukt Bharat'."

A total of 17 opposition parties have given their consent to participate in the meeting.

Mamata Banerjee, Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Maan are expected to reach Patna on Thursday.

The leaders who will be in attendance are Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackerey, Akhilesh Yadav, Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Hemant Soren, D. Raja and Sitaram Yechury.