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‘Primary objective is to defeat BJP’: INDIA alliance meeting to begin soon
As many as 63 representatives from 28 parties are participating in the meeting being held at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai. The agenda includes unveiling a logo, appointment of coordinators and finalising the formal structure and architecture of the grouping
The opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc of 28 parties reached Mumbai on Thursday to participate in the third national-level two-day conclave being held to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre in next year’s general election.
As many as 63 representatives from 28 parties are participating in the meeting being held at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai.
The agenda includes unveiling a logo, appointment of coordinators and finalising the formal structure and architecture of the grouping.
The bloc’s earlier meetings were held in June and July. Thursday’s meeting is expected to have many new developments including its potential expansion.
Ahead of the meeting, Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D Raja on Thursday said that the primary objective of the INDIA alliance is to fight collectively and defeat the BJP in order to save the nation, the Constitution, democracy, secularism, and federalism.
“The country is in great trouble and is facing multiple crises, and the country has to be liberated from the clutches of the BJP-RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh),” he said.
The meeting will be followed by a gala dinner hosted by Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray.
People familiar with the matter said that on Friday, a photo session of all the delegates will be held after which the new logo of the coalition will be unveiled.
After Friday’s lunch hosted by the Mumbai Congress, some of the decisions are expected to take place. There could also be a discussion on seat sharing, as hinted by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday.
“Going forward there is a possibility of seat sharing and if there is a unanimity then some people would be given a responsibility to start a dialogue with other parties and study how we could go together,” Pawar said.
There would also likely be a discussion on the formation of a coordination committee, comprising 11 members from different parties to help in better coordination among all parties, said the people mentioned above.
The INDIA bloc is increasing its foothold in the country with the number of parties reaching 28 as of now. In their last meeting in Bengaluru, the representatives from 26 parties attended the meeting. There are indications that more parties are likely to join the crucial coalition.
Ahead of the meeting, Shiv Sena (UTB) MP Anil Desai on Thursday had said that said two more Maharashtra-based regional parties will join the bloc.
Pawar has confirmed that All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal has expressed interest in joining the united opposition coalition.
Bihar deputy chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav earlier said they came together to fight “communal forces” in the country.
“We (Opposition parties) have come together to fight against communal forces. We united to fight those forces who are putting threat to constitution and democracy,” he was quoted by news agency ANI as saying.
Slamming the anti-BJP party meeting, Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Thursday called it the “selfish alliance”. “I believe people know that the country has achieved many milestones under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, and their trust continues to be with him,” he added.
This will also be the first meeting since Rahul Gandhi, former Congress president, was reinstated as a member of the parliament earlier this month.
Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi will also attend the INDIA bloc meeting in Mumbai this time, the party’s Maharashtra unit president Nana Patole said on Monday.
The list also includes Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin, Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, among others.
Notably, a parallel two-day meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP is also to be held in Mumbai on Thursday.
Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde has invited the members and key leaders of the three ruling parties for the review meeting to take stock of the Lok Sabha preparation.
