The Opposition INDIA bloc concluded its third assembly in Mumbai right this moment (1 September), taking one other step ahead in its battle towards the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. More than 60 leaders of 28 non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) events descended upon Mumbai’s Grand Hyatt Hotel for the two-day huddle.
The grouping had held its first assembly in Bihar’s Patna in June. The second conclave in Karnataka’s Bengaluru in July resulted within the bloc asserting its title – INDIA, an acronym for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.
As the Opposition events met for the third time, what new plans have been mentioned? What stays to be carried out? What did the INDIA bloc leaders say and the way has the BJP reacted? Let’s take a more in-depth look.
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Coordination panel, Lok Sabha polls and extra
The INDIA grouping has fashioned a 14-member coordination committee that may chalk out points similar to seat-sharing and a doable Common Minimum Programme.
This committee will embrace Congress’ KC Venugopal; Sharad Pawar from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP); Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) president MK Stalin; Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT); Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) Tejaswi Yadav; Trinamool Congress’s Abhishek Banerjee; Raghav Chadhha from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP); Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Javed Ali Khan; Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) chief Lallan Singh; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief and Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren (JMM); D Raja from CPI; Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) chief Omar Abdullah; and Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti, reported Indian Express. CPI-M will present a reputation later.
INDIA alliance’s Coordination Committee and Election Strategy Committee:
1. KC Venugopal, INC
2. Sharad Pawar, NCP
3. TR Baalu, DMK
4. Hemant Soren, JMM
5. Sanjay Raut, SS
6. Tejasvi Yadav, RJD
7. Abhishek Banerjee, TMC
8. Raghav Chaddha, AAP
9. Javed Ali Khan, SP
10. Lallan…— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 1, 2023
There may even be 4 sub-panels that may work on points, together with a joint programme of the alliance, an motion plan and dealing with of social media, joint campaigns and rallies, and analysis and information evaluation to tackle the NDA, information company PTI reported earlier.
The alliance additionally adopted a decision to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections collectively “as far as possible”. The events mentioned that they “resolve to organise public rallies at the earliest in different parts of the country on issues of public concern and importance”.
“We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to coordinate our respective communications and media strategies and campaigns with the theme Judega Bharat, Jiteega India in different languages,” the decision learn.
The grouping has determined that seat-sharing preparations needs to be “initiated immediately and concluded… in a collaborative spirit of give-and-take”, NDTV reported.
As per The Hindu sources, seat-sharing preparations are anticipated to be finalised by 30 September.
During the casual dinner assembly on Thursday, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee instructed the leaders that the manifesto of INDIA events needs to be out by 2 October, reported Hindustan Times (HT).
The alliance additionally mentioned “action on the ground” on Mahatma Gandhi’s beginning anniversary in Delhi, sources instructed NDTV.
Hailing ISRO
The INDIA grouping additionally lauded the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for its profitable Moon Mission – Chandrayaan-3.
“We, the INDIA parties congratulate the entire ISRO family – present and past – for its outstanding achievements which have made our country proud. It has taken six decades to build, expand and deepen ISRO’s capacities and capabilities. Chandrayaan-3 has thrilled the world, which is looking eagerly to the launch of Aditya-L1 tomorrow (2 September). We hope that the extraordinary accomplishments of ISRO strengthen the spirit of scientific temper in our society and give our youth the inspiration to excel in fields of scientific endeavour,” Indian Express quoted the decision as saying.
No brand, variations over ‘caste census’
The Opposition group didn’t launch its brand right this moment. Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut had earlier confirmed this, saying, “Logo is a very important part of the alliance. It is going to be discussed in our meeting but will not be unveiled today”, HT reported.
According to NDTV, the West Bengal chief minister objected to the political decision of the bloc for together with a caste-based census. However, JD(U), RJD and the SP backed the point out of caste-based census within the decision.
INDIA bloc slams Centre
Taking a dig on the BJP, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge mentioned the INDIA alliance is making the Central authorities “nervous”. “We should be prepared for more attacks in the coming months, more raids and arrests due to this government’s vendetta politics,” he instructed the Opposition leaders, as per Indian Express.
Addressing the media after the assembly, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, as per PTI, mentioned, “Two very big steps were taken (today). The first step is to set up a coordination committee and also speed up seat-sharing talks. These are two powerful steps to defeat the BJP”.
VIDEO | “Two important decisions were made in the session. First, a coordination committee will be constituted, and second, a seat-sharing formula will be discussed soon and a resolution will be brought on this,” says Congress MP @RahulGandhi on INDIA alliance assembly in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/mk2wl5YxKT
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 1, 2023
“The most important thing to understand is that this stage represents 60 per cent of India’s population. If the parties on this stage unite, it is impossible for BJP to win the election,” he added.
As per Indian Express, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav instructed the reporters: “We were not together and Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) was going ahead. Since we were not together, the country suffered. From the beginning, I have been fighting a battle against the BJP. It is Bharat Jalao Party, and it is turning out to be true. These people came to power after spreading lies about us.”
The RJD patriarch added, “Seat sharing will not be a problem. Even if we have to take a backseat, we will do so.”
Bihar chief minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar mentioned the INDIA alliance will start its marketing campaign in a “systematic manner” now. He reiterated his declare that the 2024 basic elections will be preponed. “Therefore we have to be alert. We have spoken about this (in the meeting),” he was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
His remarks come within the wake of the Central authorities forming a committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind to look at the potential of ‘One Nation, One Election’.
Delhi chief minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal known as the INDIA alliance not of “28 political parties but of 140 crore Indians who have joined in to create a 21st century India”.
BJP responds
The BJP hit again on the INDIA bloc, saying the Mumbai assembly’s solely takeaway is that the Opposition leaders have “formally and politically” accepted their “give-and-take” precept.
VIDEO | “In the third meeting of the so-called alliance, there was no vision for development of India, no roadmap for the upliftment of poor, no strategy to address concerns of the farmers or women,” says BJP chief @rsprasad on INDIA alliance assembly held earlier right this moment in… pic.twitter.com/VmASWDmOjf
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 1, 2023
Senior social gathering chief Ravi Shankar Prasad instructed the media that there was no technique to deal with the issues of farmers, girls and kids and no imaginative and prescient for the nation’s improvement within the third assembly of the “so-called opposition alliance”.
With inputs from businesses
