New Delhi: Leaders of the opposition alliance, the ‘Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance’ (India), are set to convene on December 19 to deliberate on crucial matters. The meeting is anticipated to cover a range of topics, such as setting a positive agenda, seat distribution, devising new strategies, and organizing joint public meetings. This gathering assumes significance, especially following the recent electoral setbacks faced by the Congress party in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh.
The discussion is expected to revolve around seat distribution among the alliance partners, with an emphasis on framing a constructive agenda and formulating a refreshed strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Scheduled to take place at Ashoka Hotel, Delhi, the meeting is pivotal in shaping the future course of the opposition alliance.
Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister, highlighted that the decision on the Prime Ministerial candidate for the ‘India’ alliance will be deferred until after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. She expressed her readiness to campaign across the country for alliance partners. Banerjee met with Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal to discuss the prevailing political scenario.
Tejaswi Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, asserted that the alliance committees have been diligently working behind the scenes. He emphasized the pivotal role of regional parties within the opposition, noting their strength and the absence of the BJP in regions where regional parties dominate.
Leaders like Nitish Kumar of Janata Dal (U) and Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena also arrived in Delhi for the meeting. The opposition aims to present a united front against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the slogan ‘Not I, We.’ The focus will be on formulating an alternative positive agenda to counter the BJP in the upcoming general elections, addressing issues such as caste-based calculations, legal guarantees for minimum support prices (MSP), and social security for workers.
The ‘India’ alliance, comprising 26 opposition parties, seeks to challenge the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP in the next Lok Sabha elections. Previous meetings have been held in Patna, Bengaluru, and Mumbai as the alliance strategizes to navigate the political landscape and counter the perceived ‘Modi wave.’
