Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Aug 31: As many as 63 representatives of 28 non-BJP parties attended the third meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) in Mumbai on Thursday which is believed to have decided to finalise seat sharing by September 30.
Sources said on the first day of the informal meeting many new developments have reportedly taken place, including its potential expansion, as indicated by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar; a discussion on seat sharing strategy, unveiling the group’s new common logo among other agendas. It was decided that the alliance formula of seat sharing would be implemented by state committees of the parties.
This was the first meeting since Rahul Gandhi, former Congress president and a key INDIA leader, was reinstated as a member of the Parliament earlier this month. He had lost his membership due to his conviction in the Modi surname remark case.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai ahead of the I.N.D.I.A meeting, Rahul Gandhi referred to news articles by foreign publishers on Adani. “These newspapers affect investment in India and the perception of India in the rest of the world. They are stating that over a billion dollars of money went from India, was circulated in different places and then came back to India”, he said.
Top leaders of the INDIA bloc began hectic parleys in an informal setting here on Thursday evening to chart out a roadmap to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The INDIA bloc leaders met informally and are understood to have deliberated on fixing the agenda of the formal meeting on Friday when key decisions about the alliance’s future strategy would be taken.
There is indication that the one-on-one contests will be the preferred formula. This means only one Opposition candidate will be fielded against the BJP on every seat, which will stem the division of votes. The idea had received support at the earlier opposition meets in Patna and Bengaluru.
The other agendas at the meet include choosing a logo for the alliance and setting up a coordination committee, sources had said. The alliance is also likely to hold discussions on whether to have a convenor or not and a joint action schedule for the 2024 elections.
“We will be sitting and discussing a Common Minimum Programme,” veteran leader Sharad Pawar had told reporters. “We have yet to start the dialogue for seat sharing. There is a chance that we might discuss this issue,” he had added.
Earlier in the day, YS Sharmila, the sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, met Sonia Gandhi in Delhi amid speculation that she might merge her YSRTP with the Congress. “Met Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Constructive discussions took place. The daughter of Y S Rajasekhar Reddy would relentlessly work towards benefiting Telangana people,” she told reporters after the meeting.
There has been speculation about Ms Sharmila growing closer to the Congress since she met Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in May to congratulate him on the party’s victory. Congress’s Milind Deora said the BJP was “rattled” as it did not expect so many parties from numerous states to come together.
The Opposition has claimed credit for the ₹ 200 subsidy for cooking gas announced by the Centre earlier this week. “The price of the gas cylinder has been reduced by 200 rupees. That’s because of INDIA meet,” said Sanjay Raut, senior leader of Mr Thackeray’s party.