INDIA bloc to fight LS polls together ‘as far as possible’, announces coordination committee
New Delhi: Amid the speculation of early polls and the formation of a panel to explore the possibility of ‘one nation, one election’, the United Opposition’s INDIA alliance has moved towards preparing a concrete plan to take on the BJP-led NDA ahead of Lok Sabha election and announced a 14-member coordination committee on the second and last day of its crucial meet in Mumbai. The coordination committee will act as the top decision-making body of the alliance.
The INDIA alliance has on Friday also resolved to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls together “as far as possible” by asserting that seat-sharing arrangements in states will be concluded at the earliest in a spirit of “give and take”. As per sources, the seat-sharing formula will be finalised by September 30.
However, the new logo for the alliance — which was expected to be unveiled on Friday — was not launched.
According to the resolution, the talks over seat-sharing arrangements in different states would be initiated ‘immediately’ and concluded at the earliest.
As per the resolution document, the parties of INDIA alliance would also organize public rallies at the earliest in different parts of the country on issues of public concern and importance.
The United Opposition also launched their slogan ‘Judega Bharat, Jeetega India’ (India will unite, India will win) in different languages to coordinate their respective communications and media strategies campaigns.
The alliance has announced the names of 13 members and didn’t reveal the name of the 14th member. Also, the INDIA bloc has not named any convener.
The members of the coordination committee include Congress’ KC Venugopal, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, AAP’s Raghav Chadha, Samajwadi Party’s Javed Ali Khan, JDU’s Lallan Singh, CPI’s D Raja, National Conference’s Omar Abdullah and PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti.
Meanwhile, during an informal meeting of the Opposition bloc INDIA on Thursday, most of the leaders expressed apprehension that the government may call early elections for the Lok Sabha.
In the backdrop of the government forming the panel to explore “one nation, one election” possibility, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “No matter how many ‘diversions and distractions’ the ruling regime throws at the people, they shall not be betrayed anymore.”
Kharge further asserted that the countdown of this “autocratic government’s exit has begun”.
Meanwhile, speaking on the occasion, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that it would be ‘impossible’ for the BJP to win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections if the Opposition stays united. While appealing to opposition leaders to “come together in the most efficient way possible”, Rahul Gandhi said, “This stage represents 60 percent of the Indian population. If the parties on this stage unite, it is impossible for the BJP to win an election.”
In his address, Kharge said, “The strength of the Opposition alliance is making the government “nervous” and INDIA bloc partners should be prepared for “vendetta politics” as there will be more “misuse” of agencies against them.”
In his opening remarks, Kharge said that the success of both the previous meetings— in Patna and Bengaluru — can be measured by the fact that the prime minister in his subsequent speeches has not just attacked INDIA but has also “compared the name of our beloved country with a terrorist organisation and a symbol of slavery”.
Kharge, former Congress chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, among others, participated in the discussions.
National Conference’s Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D Raja, CPI (ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, former Uttar Pradesh CM and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal and RLD’s Jayant Chaudhary, were also among those present at the talks.
Opposition alliance leaders also passed a resolution hailing ISRO’s successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 mission, and asserted that it took six decades to build, expand and deepen the space agency’s capacities and capabilities.
