Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, July 19: The Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who had volunteered to mobilise the non-BJP parties on one platform to take on the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 Parliamentary elections, slammed the Bihar BJP leaders for “spreading the rumour” that he and the JD(U) alliance partner Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) were “unhappy” over the “all Congress show” at the Bengaluru opposition conclave.
Nitish Kumar, who perhaps did more than anyone else to bring the opposition parties together, there was no question of he and the RJD feeling upset and on the contrary they were happy to see that their efforts had fructify. From 15 parties that gathered in the first opposition conclave in Patna on June 23, the number had grown to 26 in Bengaluru.
The Bihar former deputy chief minister and BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi had claimed that the Bihar leaders were upset at the Bengaluru event because the Congress had hogged the limelight ignoring Nitish Kumar. He was also upset with the name “INDIA” coined for the opposition forum as it sounded similar to NDA, the BJP leaders had claimed.
As reports of Nitish being upset with the way the two-day conclave panned out gained traction — it was suggested that he was upset at the way the Congress “stole the show” and the INDIA name adopted by the alliance — the Janata Dal (United) chief quickly stepped in on Wednesday to end the speculation. The CM said it was heartening to see 26 parties attend the brainstorming session, up from the 15 that had gathered in Patna on June 23.
“I do not know where all this news (of him being upset) is coming from. I left Bengaluru soon after the meeting as Rajgir was on my mind. And it was not necessary for everyone to speak at the post-conclave press conference,” Nitish told reporters on the sidelines of the Malmas fair in Rajgir. “I am very happy that everything went well. Whereas we had a meeting of 15 parties in Patna, there were 26 parties in Bengaluru. I suggested the inclusion of some parties and there were some suggestions from others.”
After the meeting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced that the alliance of opposition parties planning a joint strategy to take on the ruling BJP in 2024 would be called “INDIA” – an acronym for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.
During the discussions, Nitish Kumar reportedly questioned how an opposition alliance could be named INDIA. He also expressed reservations about an acronym with the letters ‘NDA’ in it and about both names sounding similar. Someone pointed out to him that there was an “I” in the NDA. The Bihar Chief Minister had suggested names like – India Main Front and India Main Alliance.
Left leaders were also reportedly hesitant and suggested different alternatives like “Save India Alliance” and “We for India”. As most parties seemed to approve of INDIA, Nitish Kumar reportedly acquiesced. “All right, if all of you are okay with it (the name INDIA), then it is fine,” the Bihar Chief Minister said.
There was also some discussion on “Democratic” in the acronym sounding similar to the NDA (National Democratic Alliance). To keep the two names more different, the Congress suggested that the “D” in INDIA should be – “Developmental.” The BJP mocked the opposition over the confusion between “Democratic” and “Developmental” in the versions of different leaders.
Reports attributed the name INDIA to Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi. Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi chief Thol Thirumavalavan said Mamata Banerjee suggested the name. “The name of the opposition alliance- INDIA – was proposed by Mamata Banerjee. After a long discussion, it was decided that it should be called Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance,” he said.
NCP leader Jitendra Awhad, on the other hand, posted that it was Rahul Gandhi’s idea. “In the ongoing meeting of opposition parties in Bangalore, Rahul Gandhi put forward a proposal to name this alliance as INDIA. His creativity was greatly appreciated. All the parties approved it and decided to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections under the name INDIA.”
Rahul Gandhi reportedly did suggest the name but it was decided that Mamata Banerjee should formally propose it. The Bengal Chief Minister, speaking about the name during the press briefing, referred to “Our favourite Rahul Gandhi.”
As the BJP attacked the name, also pitting “INDIA” against “Bharat”, the opposition front today announced its tagline – Jeetega Bharat (India will win). The tagline was decided in detailed consultations late last night. Uddhav Thackeray reportedly suggested that the alliance should have a Hindi tagline. The next opposition meeting will be held in Mumbai, and will be hosted by Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction.
The leaders of 26 opposition parties also discussed who could be the face of the coalition. This and other aspects will be decided by an 11-member coordination committee, including all the major parties. The Congress also said a ‘secretariat’ would be set up in Delhi for campaign management.
Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi suggested that Nitish Kumar left Bengaluru early, without attending the press briefing, because he was “upset” at not being named Convener of the new coalition. Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) slammed the comment, saying the Chief Minister left early to catch his flight.
Nitish Kumar also questioned the NDA meet in Delhi on Tuesday. “See how the NDA (BJP-led National Democratic Alliance) is reacting now. They are claiming the participation of 38 parties. Can they name these parties? Our alliance has all the important names. Did the NDA use to meet before as it did during the days of Atal ji (Atal Bihari Vajpayee)? Now that our efforts are working, BJP is calling a meeting of the NDA.”
Asked if he was in contention for the position of INDIA’s national convenor, which could be decided in Mumbai during the next meeting of the front, Nitish said, “I am not after these things. I am neither after any position nor do I have any personal ambition. I am happy that everything is going well.”
Hitting out at Sushil Modi, Kumar asked, “Was he (Sushil Kumar Modi) in Bengaluru?” The JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh said, “We left the meeting venue a bit early as we had to catch our flight.”
Though the JD(U) seemingly does not want to make much out of what they said was the “all-Congress show,” an RJD leader said Nitish, Lalu and Tejashwi’s decision to not address the media in Bengaluru and Patna on Tuesday was meant to serve a message to the Congress about giving “all stakeholders their due space” irrespective of who hosts the meeting of the parties in the anti-BJP front. In public, however, the RJD echoed the CM’s comments. Party national spokesperson Subodh Kumar Mehta said, “We all are very happy with the progress made by the alliance. By calling it INDIA, we have questioned the BJP’s idea of a narrow India and put forward our idea of an inclusive India.”