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At INDIA alliance Mumbai meet, Opposition slams Centre's 'one-nation, one-election' move. Top updates
In the Day 2 meeting of the Opposition in Mumbai, the alliance announced a resolution to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections jointly.
Top leaders of the Opposition bloc Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance or I.N.D.I.A. on Friday began crucial discussions to give structure to their grouping and lay down their plans to take in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The Day 2 meeting of the 28 opposition parties at Mumbai's Hotel Grand Hyatt comes amid speculation of early polls and the formation of a committee to explore the possibility of ‘one nation, one election’.
The alliance announced a resolution to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections jointly.
Top updates on INDIA Alliance meeting in Mumbai:
1. During the formal talks in the third round of Opposition meeting, the I.N.D.I.A. bloc leaders came out with a joint statement and announced that “We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections together as far as possible.” Seat-sharing arrangements in different states will be initiated immediately and concluded at the earliest in a collaborative spirit of give-and-take, the statement said.
“We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to organize 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,” it added.
Also Follow | INDIA Mumbai meet LIVE Updates
2. Opposition leaders slammed the government's move to set up a committee to study the feasibility of one-nation, one-election, alleging it would pose a threat to the federal structure of the country. CPI leader D Raja said Prime Minister Narendra Modi always talks about India being the mother of democracy and then how can the government take a unilateral decision without discussing it with other political parties. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the country is already one and no one is questioning that. “We demand fair election, not 'one nation one election'. This move of 'one nation one election' is being brought to divert the attention from our demand for a fair election,” he added.
3. The remarks came after former President Ram Nath Kovind was tasked with the responsibility of heading a committee to explore the feasibility of "one nation, one election".
4. On calling a special session of Parliament, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "Today, the country is facing farmers' issues, rising unemployment, China's aggression... If the special session will address all these issues then it's welcomed. If it will be used to divert attention from these issues, then it shows that the BJP is nervous. I want to ask them (central government) as to when will a committee be formed on inflation, corruption, rising unemployment, women's reservation..."
5. A congratulatory resolution was also passed in the I.N.D.I.A. coalition meeting on ISRO’s successful Chandrayaan-3 mission. "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. 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," states the resolution that was passed with unanimity.
6. Raut said the unveiling of the coalition logo has been cancelled for Friday. "Logo is a very important part of the alliance. It is going to be discussed in our meeting but will not be unveiled today," he told reporters.
7. During informal talks over dinner on Thursday night, the leaders stressed on the urgency to finalise seat sharing and come out with a joint agenda in a few weeks' time.
8. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has asked leaders of various parties to give one name from their respective parties for being part of the coordination committee.
9. While West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is learnt to have told the informal dinner meeting that the bloc should come out with its manifesto by October 2, her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal called for finalising seat sharing among parties for the Lok Sabha polls by the end of next month.
10. Kharge, former Congress chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, Banerjee, AAP convener Kejriwal, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin, National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury, CPI's Raja, CPI (ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and SP president Akhilesh Yadav, and RLD's Jayant Chaudhary, are among those holding hectic parleys.
