INDIA vs NDA in 2024: Why the Opposition alliance changed its name

The grouping of 26 Opposition parties that will challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls will be called INDIA, an acronym for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance. The decision was taken by the leaders of these parties on the second day of the conclave in Bengaluru today (18 July).

Addressing a joint press conference with leaders of other political parties after the meeting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, as per The Quint, said, “Everybody has agreed to have one name for the alliance. Earlier, we were called the UPA (United Progressive Alliance). Now we will be called Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance – INDIA”.

He further said that the third meeting of the alliance of these 26 parties will be held in Mumbai.

This is an important meeting to save democracy and the constitution, and in the interest of the country, we have come together.

With one voice, people have supported the resolution. Our alliance will be called INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance).

:… pic.twitter.com/re8hyhSgzx

— Congress (@INCIndia) July 18, 2023

Why does the Opposition alliance have a new name? What have the parties said? We explain.

From UPA to INDIA

The leaders of the Opposition parties had indicated after the Patna meeting in June that a new name is likely in the cards for the grouping. As per Hindustan Times (HT), the name “Patriotic Democratic Alliance” or PDA was being considered.

Earlier, the Congress has formed the government at the Centre twice under the umbrella of UPA. However, the coalition fell apart after 2014, with the Grand Old Party developing strained relations with several of its former allies.

In December 2021, stressing on the need for all regional parties to join forces against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said: “What is UPA? There is no UPA.”

The remarks of Banerjee, who was herself a part of the UPA once, were seen as an indication that the Congress cannot take on the BJP on its own. As Indian Express noted at the time, she was perhaps suggesting that a new alliance is needed in which Congress cannot be the “automatic leader”.

The Congress won the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. A post-poll alliance led by Congress was formed which included 14 parties – RJD, DMK, NCP, PMK, TRS, JMM, LJP, MDMK, AIMIM, PDP, IUML, RPI(A), RPI(G) and KC (J).

Four Left parties – CPM, CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc – backed the ruling UPA alliance from the outside.

However, eventually, some of the allies started abandoning the UPA with the biggest setback seen in 2008 when the four Left parties pulled back their support to the government.

Although Congress came back to power in 2009, the UPA alliance had fewer parties. As per Indian Express, only five parties – TMC, NCP, DMK, National Conference, and the Indian Union Muslim League – were sworn in with the Congress.

AIMIM, VCK, Sikkim Democratic Front and Bodoland People’s Front were part of UPA-2 but without any ministerial berths. Later, TMC, DMK, AIMIM, Jharkhand’s JVM-P all left the UPA one by one.

Congress faced its worst drubbing in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, bagging only 44 seats. While the grouping was still called UPA, there was technically “no UPA after 2014”, noted Indian Express.

Now, as Congress is part of INDIA, so is TMC and the new entrant in the Opposition alliance – Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The Grand Old Party has declared this time it is not seeking to lead the new alliance. Speaking to reporters today, Kharge said his party is not interested in “either power or the prime ministerial post”.“We’re aware of differences between some of us at state level; these are not ideological” he was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

When asked who will lead the new grouping, the Congress president said an 11-member coordination committee will be set up. “At that meeting in Mumbai, we will decide on who the 11 will be, who the Convenor will be, etc. These are small things,” he said at the joint press conference, as per NDTV.

Corruption allegations

A name change may also be Congress’ way of rebranding the image of UPA, which was marred by corruption allegations.

The BJP, including Modi, has often mocked the UPA over dynasty politics and corruption.

Recently, BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda slammed the UPA, saying it stands for ‘utpidan (oppression), pakshpat (favouritism) and atyachar (atrocities).

Earlier today, the Indian prime minister hit out at the Opposition alliance, calling it one of “corruption and dynasty politics.”

“When they all appear in one frame, the nation only sees corruption. People call it an alliance of corruption,” Modi said referring to the Opposition meet in Bengaluru.

Further, attacking the Opposition parties, he, as per The Quint, said: “A democracy is of the people, for the people, by the people. But the dynasts have only one policy – of the family, by the family, for the family. Family first, nation nothing is their moto and inspiration”.

ALSO READ: Pashupati Paras-Chirag Paswan, Pawars, Yadavs: The politics of uncles and nephews

INDIA vs NDA in 2024

Calling today’s meeting “good, constructive and fruitful”, the West Bengal chief minister dared NDA to fight against Opposition’s INDIA.

“We have taken up a real challenge. NDA, can you challenge India? BJP, can you challenge India?” Banerjee was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Jitendra Ahwad credited Congress Rahul Gandhi for proposing the name INDIA for the alliance. “His creativity was greatly appreciated,” he wrote in a tweet.

बंगळुरू येथे सुरू असणाऱ्या विरोधी पक्षांच्या बैठकीत,या आघाडीचं नाव INDIA ठेवण्याचा प्रस्ताव @RahulGandhi यांनी मांडला.त्यांच्या या कल्पकतेच प्रचंड कौतुक.सर्व पक्षांनी याला अनुमोदन देत आगामी लोकसभा निवडणूक INDIA या नावाखाली लढवण्याचा निर्णय घेतला आहे.

I – Indian
N -…

— Dr.Jitendra Awhad (@Awhadspeaks) July 18, 2023

The Left parties wanted the word ‘Alliance’ to be changed to ‘Front’ for the “united” Opposition grouping, sources told NDTV. Shiv Sena UBT chief and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray suggested that the name should not have the word opposition, the report added.

According to NDTV, Gandhi said after the meeting: “This is a fight for India’s voice and that is why we have chosen this name – Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). The fight is between NDA and India, between Narendra Modi and India and their ideology and India. We are defending the Indian constitution, the voice of our people and the idea of this great country, the idea of India.”

Meanwhile, a joint resolution released by the 26 Opposition parties said they are determined to “safeguard the idea of India as enshrined in the Constitution”. “The foundational pillars of the Indian Constitution – secular democracy, economic sovereignty, social justice and federalism – are being methodically and menacingly undermined,” the document read.

Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) से जुड़े 26 राजनीतिक दलों का सामूहिक संकल्प- pic.twitter.com/JsxXQBaL2s

— Congress (@INCIndia) July 18, 2023

“We have come together to defeat the hatred and violence being manufactured against minorities; stop the rising crimes against women, Dalits and Adivasis; demand a fair hearing for all socially, educationally and economically backward communities; and, as a first step, implement the Caste Census,” the 26 parties said in the document.

With inputs from agencies