Opposition meet highlights: 26-party alliance to be called as ‘INDIA’, next meeting in Mumbai

DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday highlighted the opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and said the coming year will see the emergence of a "new India."

While the maiden meeting of opposition parties, that met in Bihar capital Patna in June saw the participation of 16 political parties, it grew to 26 in the just concluded two-day Bengaluru conclave, he said.

After 26 opposition parties on Tuesday unanimously decided on the name of their alliance, INDIA, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the idea behind it stemmed from their efforts to protect the country from the multi-dimensional assault on it.

Talking to PTI, the Left leader said in the present circumstances, their priority is to safeguard the secular, democratic character of the Indian republic, which is under assault.

"For that, it is essential that those mounting such assaults should be kept away from controlling the government and State power. So all of us have to unite to save India. The idea was that of saving India," he said.

Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Tuesday claimed that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar returned early from the opposition meeting in Bengaluru as he was "upset" over not having been made convener of the new coalition - Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

Kumar’s JD(U) hit back, dubbing the former Deputy CM as “someone who makes ridiculous statements and is not taken seriously even within his party”.

The BJP and its NDA partners on Tuesday hit out at the opposition parties, saying giving a new name to their alliance will not change their character and the 2024 Lok Sabha battle is going to be “Bharat Mata versus INDIA”.

They were reacting after 26 opposition parties announced their coalition - Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)- to unitedly take on the ruling NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asserting that the fight will be "between INDIA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi".

The original suggestion was to call it "Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance", but the word "democratic" was replaced with "developmental" after some leaders said it sounded too similar to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), PTI reported citing sources.

It was also discussed if the word "national" should be dropped, but it was finally decided to retain it, they said.

It's going to be "a battle between NDA and INDIA" in 2024, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a meeting of 26 opposition parties here on Tuesday as they unanimously adopted a proposal to name their coalition as Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.

The original suggestion was to call it "Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance", but the word "democratic" was replaced with "developmental" after some leaders said it sounded too similar to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), sources said.

The return of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad to Patna by chartered plane without attending the joint Press Conference of united opposition in Bangalore has sparked speculations about what exactly happened.

The first meeting of the on-BJP parties in Patna was hosted by Nitish Kumar, who was the initiator of the unity move to thwart Prime Narendra Modi’s bid for third term. He was also tipped to be the convenor for opposition unity due to the way he reached out to different political parties to build the framework for unity.

On the opposition meeting, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, says, "From morning to evening I was busy with government work, and I have not even seen Twitter. I even do not know who has gone to Bangalore, let me see that at night, then I'll react tomorrow."

"Now they (BJP) have to fight against INDIA," says Uddhav Thackeray Faction MP Sanjay Raut

It's a collective effort. We all sat together, and we all decided on names. Rahul ji spearheaded this, he justified why it should be INDIA. He argued for it: Congress leader Supriya Shrinate on name for opposition alliance, in Bengaluru

Around 26 parties were present in the meeting. We discussed several issues of public importance. We have arrived at a joint decision to fight the BJP together. All parties are now under the banner of 'INDIA'. There are several lined-up proposals like making a coordination committee. We believe that the country is under significant threat. There are many important issues like unemployment, inflation, women's security & more. They need to be addressed urgently: D Raja, CPI leader on opposition meet

"Out of the eight parties that came forward for the INDIA alliance (erstwhile UPA), four parties belong to Tamil Nadu, and the rest four to Kerala. The parties added to make 26 parties are only from two states, none from UP, Bihar, MP, and Rajasthan... Even if you make 10 parties join the INDIA alliance, how would it affect BJP as the party's presence in these states is already nominal," Senior BJP Leader Sushil Modi on the opposition alliance - INDIA.

The name of the opposition alliance- INDIA was proposed by West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. After a long discussion, it was decided to be called as 'Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance': VCK chief Thol. Thirumavalavan

Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat on Tuesday said the opposition parties should "give confidence" to people that they have come together to save the country and Constitution from the "assault" of the BJP and RSS.

Speaking at a press conference here, she also claimed that the real allies of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance were the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax Department.

Asked whether the opposition unity will be strong enough to take on the BJP in the 2024 elections with local politics also being an issue, Karat said not only the opposition parties but social forces and social movements across the political and social spectrum needed to unite "to prevent the destruction of the secular democratic India."

Soon after the conclave of the top leaders of 26 non-BJP parties in Bengaluru, the Trinamool Congress hailed the coalition named ‘INDIA’ formed for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and asserted that the days of the NDA are numbered.

The opposition alliance that will take on the NDA ruling at the Centre and an 11-member committee will be set up for coordination, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced after the meeting in the Karnataka capital.

The TMC tweeted: "INDIA stands united! I - Indian N - National D - Developmental I - Inclusive A - Alliance Can NDA challenge INDIA? - Smt @MamataOfficial at the opposition party meeting in Bengaluru. The tyrannical regime is about to end. @BJP4India, your days are numbered!"

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday the Opposition was in a fight to save the country.

Speaking at the joint press conference at the end of the second joint Opposition meeting in Bengaluru on Tuesday, the Congress leader said the fight was not between two alliances standing on the opposite ends of the political spectrum but one to defend "the idea of India".

"The idea of India is under attack today. The idea of an inclusive India is being attacked by the ideology of the BJP," Rahul said at the joint press congference on Tuesday.

More than two dozen Indian opposition parties said on Tuesday that they had joined hands to form an alliance called "INDIA" to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in parliamentary elections next year.

Naming the alliance INDIA is seen as an attempt by the opposition parties to challenge the BJP on its own nationalist platform in elections due by May 2024.

Mallikarjun Kharge, president of the main opposition Congress party, said INDIA stood for "Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance".

"The character of our republic is being severely assaulted in a systematic manner by the BJP. We express our grave concern over the humanitarian tragedy that has destroyed Manipur. The silence of the Prime Minister is shocking and unprecedented. We are determined to combat and confront the continuing assault on the Constitution and on constitutional rights of democratically elected state governments": Joint Resolution of 26 political parties belonging to the opposition alliance I.N.D.I.A

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday announced that the alliance of the 26 opposition parties would be called as ‘Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance’ (INDIA) which will take on the BJP in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Read more

"It was a successful meeting....Definitely we are challenging BJP," says MDMK leader Vaiko after the meeting of opposition alliance - I.N.D.I.A in Bengaluru.

According to multiple sources, the name was suggested by TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and there was a lot of discussion on the full form of the term, INDIA.

Addressing a joint press conference after a meeting of 26 opposition parties in Bengaluru, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said they have decided to prepare an action plan where they will talk about their ideology and programmes.

We promise to transform substance and style of governance to make it more consultative, democratic, participative: 26 opposition parties

We pledge to present to nation an alternative political, social and economic agenda: 26 opposition parties in joint declaration

This fight is not between 2 political formations but fight is to defend the idea of India. If you will see history, you will find that nobody has been able to fight the idea of India. It's a fight between the idea of India and Narendra Modi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi