`Dear PM Modi, you didn't need 18 months, Bihar defeat to meet Opposition leaders'

New Delhi: A key member of Team Rahul on Saturday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for waiting 18 long months before meeting Opposition leaders.

"Dear PM Modi, U didn't need 18 months, 3 land ordinances, Bihar defeat, sluggish economy to meet Opposition Leaders," Kaushal K Vidyarthee said on micro-blogging site Twitter.

Shortly after it was announced yesterday that Modi had invited Congress president Sonia Gandhi and his immediate predecessor in the prime minister's office, Manmohan Singh, for discussions over tea, Rahul Gandhi had said that the government had been forced to take such a step.

"This meeting is happening after public pressure. This is not the way he functions," the Congress vice president had said.

Hopes of a thaw on the GST Bill emerged last night with the prime minister reaching out to the Congress leadership, which is to discuss the government's response to its three objections vis-a-vis the measure.

The tea invitation yesterday was the first direct outreach by Modi to the principal opposition ever since he came to power last year and is being seen as part of an attempt by the prime minister to ensure smooth functioning of Parliament during Winter Session.

Modi had invited Singh and the Congress chief for tea at his residence here where the discussions covered issues pending before Parliament, particularly the large number of Bills that have accumulated over the past two sessions.