To take on BJP-led NDA in 2024, INDIA bloc announces 13-member coordination panel, hints at seat-sharing talks

The INDIA alliance on Friday announced a 13-member coordination committee on the second day of its crucial meet in Mumbai. The motley group of parties have huddled together for their third important meeting to figure out a concrete plan to take on the BJP-led NDA ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha polls and ensure that it does not win a third straight term.

The Opposition alliance adopted a resolution to this effect and said its theme for the general elections will be “Judega Bharat, Jeetega India, (India will unite, India will win)”.

“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,” the resolution said.

The resolution also indicated that the INDIA bloc will coordinate their respective communications and media strategies, and campaigns with the theme “Judega Bharat, Jeetega India” across the country in different languages. “We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to organize public rallies at the earliest in different parts of the country on issues of public concern and importance,” it further added.

The 13-member coordination committee announced at Friday’s conclave in Mumbai will have Congress’ K C Venugopal, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, AAP’s Raghav Chadha, Samajwadi Party’s Javed Ali Khan, JDU’s Lallan Singh, CPI leader D Raja, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti as members.

Congress chief and a key founder-member of the Opposition-led INDIA bloc, Mallikarjun Kharge, while outlining the roadmap of the newly-formed alliance’s plan for 2024, said, “The 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. Modi raises Rs 100 and decreases Rs 2. The reduction in gas cylinder prices does not mean anything. It is fake. Modi can never work for the poor. He works for big industrialists. It is important that INDIA wins to stop all of this in the country.”

VIDEO | “They (BJP) don’t do corruption on a small level, they get involved in institutional corruption,” says Congress chief @kharge at the INDIA alliance press conference in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/VbedXcnFoi

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 1, 2023

“We will be working based on the resolutions that were decided today. We will be holding meetings in states. I have never seen the use of agencies the manner in which they are used today. Modi announced a special session without asking anyone. No committee was called. No discussion was held with others. Special session was never called when Manipur was burning, Covid-19 cases were raging, China was capturing Indian land. I don't know the agenda now. We are inching towards dictatorship. Institutional corruption is a sign of the Modi government. The next meeting will be announced soon,” Kharge said addressing the gathering which had opposition leaders from across the country in attendance.

After hours of talks, the alliance announced that the coordination committee would start working on a seat sharing formula by September end and that the next meeting of the opposition-led bloc would be announced soon.,

The new logo for the alliance which was expected to be unveiled on Friday will not be launched, people aware of the developments said. The parties had earlier on Thursday announced that a decision on seat sharing would be taken on September 30.