New Delhi: NCP president Sharad Pawar on Saturday asserted that there was no dispute among the INDIA bloc members over appointing its convenor, but said there was no need to project any face for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as the leader can be chosen once the results are declared.
He said that during a virtual meeting of INDIA bloc leaders held on Saturday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s name was suggested for the post of convenor, but the latter was of the view that a team of party chiefs should be formed and that there is no need to appoint a convenor.
During the virtual meeting, the INDIA bloc leaders discussed various aspects of the alliance and the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections due in April-May.
Talking to reporters at Junnar in Pune district after attending the meeting, Pawar said: There is no need to project one face to seek votes. We will select the leader after the elections and we are confident of providing an alternative. In 1977, Morarji Desai was not projected as the Prime Ministerial face by the Opposition,” the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president said, adding that it was a positive sign that several parties were coming together.
Pawar said he could not attend the entire virtual meeting as he had some other pre-scheduled engagements.
The INDIA bloc meeting discussed programmes, policies to be taken up. It was decided that a committee would be formed that will decide on holding joint rallies of the allies all over the country, he said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday didn’t attend the virtual meeting of the Opposition INDIA bloc citing a scheduled programme.
He also said the party had already informed (the Opposition bloc) about its inability to attend the meeting.
“There shouldn’t be any misunderstanding in this regard. I have expressed my inability to attend the meeting as I had to attend a scheduled programme which involved a lot of moving around. In such a scenario, attending the meeting would have been difficult,” Thackeray said.
Leaders of the bloc met virtually and discussed various aspects of the alliance and the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, due in April-May.
BJP president J P Nadda on Saturday took a swipe at the Opposition bloc INDIA, saying it is a virtual alliance which is doing virtual meetings as a mere formality and that its leaders’ two-point agenda is to save their families and properties.
Addressing a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha to launch ‘Namo Navmatdata Abhiyan’ to connect with first-time voters, he said while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working for a developed India, empowering the youth, farmers and women, and removing poverty, the Opposition stands for “removing Modi”.
As many as 28 Opposition parties have come together under the banner of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to take on the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections.