Opposition leaders converge in Bengaluru. Seat sharing, alliance name on agenda?

Opposition leaders have started arriving in Bengaluru for a two-day brainstorming session to strategize for the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Most of the opposition leaders have started arriving in Bengaluru for the second mega gathering to chalk out a strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Posters with “United We Stand” slogan dotted the streets of Bengaluru with pictures of opposition leaders, including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, NCP's Sharad Pawar, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, DMK chief M K Stalin and leaders of Left and some regional outfits.

A poster of opposition leaders put up outside the venue of the united opposition meeting, in Bengaluru, Monday, July 17, 2023. (PTI)

Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi have already arrived in Bengaluru for the two-day brainstorming session.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who took the initiative to bring warring opposition parties under one roof, left for the Karnataka capital on Monday along with RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav. Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal will also participate in the brainstorming session after the apparent showdown at the first meeting in Patna over the issue of Congress’s support to the ordinance issue.

All eyes will be on Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar who met rebel party MLAs, including his nephew Ajit Pawar, at his office in Mumbai for the second consecutive day on Monday. Congress insisted that Pawar will be part of the gathering on Tuesday even as the Maratha strongman won't attend the Monday dinner hosted by Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah.

The meeting will begin on Monday evening at Taj West End Hotel with an address by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, reported ANI.

What's on agenda

1. Top leaders of 26 opposition parties are expected to attend the meeting where they are likely to start work on a common minimum programme and announce a joint agitational plan to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
2. The opposition parties are planning to set up a subcommittee for drafting the common minimum programme and communications points for the alliance.
3. The agenda of the meeting includes discussions on the process for deciding seat sharing on a state-to-state basis.
4. The opposition leaders may also discuss the issue of EVM and suggest reforms to the Election Commission.
5. The opposition leaders also plan to suggest a name for the alliance.

The agenda for the talks would be finalised during discussions before a dinner meeting hosted by Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday evening, reported PTI quoting people aware of the matter.

(With inputs from agencies)