I.N.D.I.A. alliance to contest 2024 elections together, slams ‘One Nation, One Election’ plan
INDIA alliance meet
The two-day meeting of the opposition I.N.D.I.A. (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) coalition held in the country’s financialcapital Mumbai, concluded on Friday (September 1) with the party leaders releasing a joint statement saying the 28 parties in the coalition will contest the upcoming 2024 general elections “together as far as possible.”
The two-day meeting, attended by 28 political parties and 63 representatives, commenced in Mumbaion Thursday (August 31) as leaders from opposition parties from across the country huddled together to finalise the strategy for taking on the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha (Lower House) elections.
Opposition’s plan for the upcoming elections
Speaking about the upcoming general elections, the opposition parties announced the formation of a 14-member coordination panel afterbrainstorming for the last two days.
The members of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance, in a resolution, said that they will soon come up with a seat-sharing formula among its members for next year’s Lok Sabha polls.
I.N.D.I.A. alliance and its three resolutions
Speaking at the alliance press conference in Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray said that their coalition has adopted three resolutions.
“First resolution: We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections together as far as possible. Seat sharing arrangements in different states will be initiated immediately and concluded at the earliest in a collaborative spirit of give and take,” said the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader.
He added, “Second resolution: We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to organise public rallies at the earliest in different parts of the country on issues of public concern and importance.”
“The third resolution: We the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to coordinate our respective communications and media strategies and campaigns on the theme of ‘Judega Bharat, Jeetega INDIA’,” Thackeray added.
The recently concluded meeting was the third formal meeting of the opposition INDIA alliance after the ones held in the Indian cities of Patna (June 23) and Bengaluru (July 17-18).
Opposition slams ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal
The incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government announced on Friday (September 1)that it had set up a committee to study the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal which refers to holding the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls simultaneously across the country.
Reacting to the proposal at a press conference in Mumbai, Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge, said that the plan was proposed because the strength of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance is making the ruling government “nervous”.
He added, “We should be prepared for more attacks in the coming months, more raids and arrests due to this government’s vendetta politics.”
He also spoke about the opposition alliance’s roadmap for the upcoming elections and said, “First meeting in Patna was about setting the agenda. Then the second meeting happened in Bangalore. We all are again meeting in Mumbai. Our aim is to fight against inflation, price rise, unemployment.”
“We will be working based on the resolutions that were decided today…(Indian Prime Minister Narendra) Modi announced a special session without asking anyone. No committee was called. No discussion was held,” said Kharge.
He added, “We are inching towards dictatorship. Institutional corruption is a sign of theModi government. The next meeting will be fixed soon.”
Impossible for BJP to win if…: Rahul Gandhi
During the press conference in Mumbai, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “This stage represents 60 per cent of India’s population. If all parties come together then it is impossible for BJP to win. The task is to come together in the most efficient way possible.”
He added, “Two important decisions were made in the session. First, a coordination committee will be constituted, and second, a seat-sharing formula will be discussed soon and a resolution will be brought on this. It will ensure that I.N.D.I.A. will defeat the BJP.”
Logo unveiling cancelled
Earlier, the Indian media had reported that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc was likely to unveil its logo on Friday. However, the unveiling of the opposition coalition logo was cancelled and it was later confirmed by the opposition leaders that it is going to be further discussed and will be unveiled later.
The I.N.D.I.A.alliance announcesthat its Coordination Committee and Election Strategy Committee, comprises of 14 leaders, namelyKC Venugopal(INC), Sharad Pawar(NCP). TR Baalu(DMK), Hemant Soren(JMM), Sanjay Raut(SS UT), Tejasvi Yadav(RJD),Abhishek Banerjee(TMC), Raghav Chaddha(AAP), Javed Ali Khan(SP), Lallan Singh(JD-U), D Raja(CPI),Omar Abdullah(NC), Mehbooba Mufti(PDP) and one CPI-M leader to be decided later.
The alliance's Campaign Committee includes Gurdeep Singh Sappal(INC), Sanjay Jha(JD-U), Anil Desai(SS UT), Sanjay Yadav(RJD), PC Chako(NCP), Champai Soren(JMM), Kiranmoy Nanda(SP), Sanjay Singh(AAP), Arun Kumar(CPI-M), Binoy Vishwam(CPI), Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi(NC), Shahid Siddiqui(RLD), NK Premachandran(RSP), G. Devarajan(AIFB), Ravi Rai(CPI-ML), Thirumavalan(VCK), KM Kadar Moidin(IUML), Jose K. Mani(KC-M), and one TMC leader to be decided later.
Similarly, the alliance's Working Group for Social Media includes Supriya Shrinate(INC), Sumit Sharma(RJD), Ashish Yadav(SP), Rajeev Nigam(SP), Raghav Chadha(AAP), Avindani(JMM), Iltija Mehbooba(PDP), Pranjal(CPM), Bhalchandra Kango(CPI), Ifra Jan(NC), V Arun Kumar(CPI-ML),and one TMC leader to be decided later.
(With inputs from agencies)
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