INDIA Coalition Mumbai Meet: Seat-Sharing, Convenor Post On Agenda

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) will be holding a third meeting on August 31 and September 1 in Mumbai. The meeting will be attended by the 26 participants of the alliance and they will be formalising their strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls.

In order to defeat the NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the opposition would plan a coordinated campaign and resolve internal conflicts. A few panels to draught an alliance's common minimum programme, create collaborative preparations for organising agitations across the nation, and discuss seat sharing are also likely to be announced by the leaders.

Manoj Jha of the Rashtriya Janata Dal stated that the Mumbai summit would produce a "clear-cut roadmap" for offering a progressive alternative to the existing regime's regressive policies.

The INDIA bloc will likely be announcing a secretariat for maintaining smooth coordination between the constituents. It will be set up in the nation's national capital. The members will be discussing the issue of having a coordinator or chairperson to lead or head the alliance.

Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, is the front-runner to become convenor. Sonia Gandhi, a former Congress president, is reportedly being considered to lead the coalition. Gandhi privately voiced her distaste for the idea, despite Kumar having already declared that he was not running for governor.

The two-day conclave's leaders, some of whom have already begun travelling to Mumbai, will continue discussions on divisive topics including seat sharing. Tejashwi Yadav, the deputy chief minister of Bihar, and RJD president Lalu Prasad are already in Mumbai.

There are speculations about some of the regional parties joining the 26-party opposition alliance in the third meeting at Mumbai. Previously in Patna first meeting was held in June and in Bangalore opposition alliance meeting was held in mid-July. 

Before the conference in Mumbai, Nitish Kumar reaffirmed that his efforts to bring the opposition together were not motivated by any "personal ambitions" and that he would rather someone else be appointed as the opposition coalition's leader. "I have consistently affirmed that I have no interest in myself... I don't have any personal goals. I have no desires. The duty could be delegated to another person (convener post). My sole objective is to bring together the greatest number of anti-BJP parties before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Only in this direction am I working," added Kumar.

According to Nana Patole, the president of the Maharashtra Congress, the INDIA bloc will adopt the slogan "BJP Chale Jao (BJP Go Away)" at the conference.

He asserted that the coalition has a large number of qualified contenders for the position of prime minister and suggested that some parties that are now members of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) may decide to join the INDIA coalition.

A number of committees have been formed by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which consists of the Shiv Sena-UBT, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the Congress, to plan different parts of the meeting of the opposition bloc.

I’m excited to witness the #MumbaiMeeting buzz as we prepare for the #INDIAAlliance meeting on August 31st & September 1st.

With unity & resolve, we're geared up to overcome any electoral challenge in 2024.

Looking forward to shaping our future together! 🇮🇳 #JeetegaINDIA… pic.twitter.com/fTmcppmbRm

— Milind Deora | मिलिंद देवरा ☮️ (@milinddeora) August 29, 2023

ईडी, सीबीआय यासारख्या केंद्रीय तपास यंत्रणांना हाताशी धरून फोडाफोडीचे राजकारण करणाऱ्या भाजपने लोकाशाहीविरोधी कृत्य करत हुकूमशाही पद्धतीच्या कारभाराविरोधात ऐक्याची वज्रमूठ #INDIA! #ShivsenaUBT #UddhavThackeray #INDIAAlliance pic.twitter.com/KtDN6NVl9r

— #शिवसैनिक अनघा आचार्य Anagha Acharya (@AnaghaAcharya) August 30, 2023

The opposition coalition 'INDIA' is gathering for the first time in a state where none of the other bloc members are in office. The meeting would be primarily focused on unity.

The three opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi parties of the state have divided up duties to be ready for the two-day third meeting of the national INDIA bloc, including transportation, lodging, and war room setup.

Sanjay Raut, a leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and a member of the Rajya Sabha, will run the war room for this meeting. A Congress leader involved in the planning said, "The war room will handle any issues — be they logistical or security-wise — arising during the event."

Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is in charge of arranging for the transportation of the city's senior leaders to and from the airport.

On August 31, Uddhav Thackeray will welcome all of the opposition front leaders for dinner.