Opposition's INDIA bloc to meet for third time on August 25-26 in Mumbai

These meetings are aimed at building Opposition unity and deciding strategy to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Opposition's INDIA bloc, consisting of 26 non-BJP parties, are slated to hold their third meeting in Mumbai, Maharashtra on August 25-26. The announcement comes days after the second such high profile meeting that was held in Karnataka's Bengaluru in mid-July.

Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attend the second day of the joint Opposition meeting, in Bengaluru on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)

Through these meetings, the Opposition hopes to forge unity and strategize to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. At the Bengaluru meet, the Opposition parties announced that its coalition will be called 'I.N.D.I.A' (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance), and the Congress party asserted that the next general election will be a face-off between I.N.D.I.A and Prime Minster Narendra Modi.

After the conclusion of the July 18 meeting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge informed that the next meet in the series will be held in Mumbai, however, the date was not finalised at the time.

'Bengaluru meet highlights'

One of the prominent highlights of the Bengaluru meet was that the Congress party, which is the largest party in the alliance with a pan-India presence, said that it was not interested in the PM's post if they won the election.

Kharge said that the Congress's intention is “not to assume power for ourselves.” The Congress chief's words had struck a chord with several leaders from non-Congress parties who welcomed his remarks and said his speech “reflected the mood of the meeting.” The leaders also agreed that all the parties would have to make efforts to set aside their differences, to make the alliance a success.

Notably, during the Bengaluru meet, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) also held a meeting of 38 parties in Delhi on July 18, which was chaired by PM Modi.

At the meeting, Modi had also taken a swipe at the Opposition bloc and said “For us alliance is not forced, but is a means of strength.”

Opposition bloc's decision to name their alliance I.N.D.I.A has become the latest flashpoint between the two political groups. While the BJP mocked the I.N.D.I.A bloc saying that “regrouping under a different name won't make them any more credible”; I.N.D.I.A parties claimed the BJP is triggered by the decision and is not bothered by its barbs.