The Opposition bloc decides to contest next election under the slogan of ‘Judega Bharat, Jeetega India’. The seat-sharing arrangements will be initiated soon for different states. Is this the biggest challenge to Narendra Modi’s quest for a third term?
Our Bureau
Mumbai/New Delhi
In a move aimed at the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the constituent parties in the Opposition group called Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) on Friday decided to contest polls together “as far as possible”, said the alliance’s resolution taken during its third strategic meeting held in Mumbai. “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,” said the resolution.
The resolution also said that the parties will “organize public rallies at the earliest in different parts of the country on issues of public concern and importance”.
INDIA alliance also decided to coordinate among themselves on political communication and media strategies and will campaign with the theme ‘Judega Bharat, Jiteega India’ in different languages. “We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to coordinate our respective communications and media strategies and campaigns with the theme in different languages,” the resolution said.
Earlier speaking at the INDIA alliance meeting Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge warned that the alliance leaders should be prepared for more attacks from the various agencies of the government. “We should be prepared for more attacks in the coming months, more raids and arrests due to this government’s vendetta politics. The more ground our alliance gains the more the BJP Govt will misuse agencies against our leaders. It has done the same in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bengal,” said Kharge.
The third formal meeting of the opposition bloc INDIA alliance began on Friday with the aim of coming up with an action plan for the next Lok Sabha Polls.
The first meeting of the joint opposition was held in Patna on June 23 and the second meeting was held in Bengaluru on July 17-18.
In the third meeting of the Opposition alliance in Mumbai, the Congress President alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has compared the name of the country with a terrorist organization in his speeches. “The success of both our meetings, 1st in Patna and 2nd in Bengaluru can be measured by the fact that the PM in his subsequent speeches has not just attacked INDIA but has also compared the name of our beloved country with a terrorist organization and a symbol of slavery,” Kharge said.
Further, coming down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Kharge accused the party of spreading “communal poison” which is turning into hate crimes like the Mumbai train shooting incident.
“We, the INDIA parties congratulate the entire ISRO family – present and past – for its outstanding achievements which have made our country proud,” the INDIA alliances, or (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) resolution read. The grand Opposition alliance gave credit to the past governments too, saying it has taken six decades to build, expand and deepen ISRO’s capacities and capabilities.
Earlier, launching an attack on Narendra Modi-led government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Prime Minister and the BJP are a nexus of corruption and that is the first thing that the INDIA alliance is going to demonstrate and prove. “The Prime Minister and the BJP are a nexus of corruption and that is the first thing that the INDIA alliance is going to demonstrate and prove. The idea behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is to extract money from the poor people of this country and transfer it to a limited few. So, we are going to propose a clear path to development,” he added.
Rahul Gandhi referred to the G20 Summit being hosted by India and the reports on the Adani group in two British papers and said the allegations impact perception about India. The Congress leader said the issue affects India’s reputation, especially because of G20 Summit and alleged that PM Modi’s “reputation is on line”.
“…It is very important that the Prime Minister of India Mr Narendra Modi clears his name and categorically explains what is going on. At the very least, A JPC should be allowed and a thorough investigation should take place. I don’t understand why the PM is not forcing an investigation? Why is he quiet and people who are responsible are put behind bars? This is raising very serious questions on the PM just before G20 leaders come here…It is important that this issue is made clear before they (G20 leaders) arrive,” Gandhi said.
On Friday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Friday announced that the INDIA will work under the theme ‘Judega Bharat, Jeetega India’ to contest Lok Sabha polls, adding that the seat-sharing arrangements for the INDIA bloc will be initiated immediately for different states.
Elaborating about the resolutions passed in the third INDIA bloc meeting, Aaditya Thackeray said, “Today, INDIA parties passed three resolutions. One, 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.”
“Second, 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. Third, we the INDIA parties hereby resolve to coordinate our respective communications and media strategies and campaigns on the theme of ‘Judega Bharat, Jeetega India’ in different languages,” he said while addressing the press conference after the INDIA bloc meeting.
After the meeting of the Opposition INDIA alliance, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday said that a resolution has been passed and four main committees have been formed.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday asserted that there is no conflict among the parties of the alliance. “This is an alliance not just of some 28 parties, but an alliance of 140 crore people. I have been noticing that there are forceful projections of infighting which is not there. I have attended three meetings of the alliance. I am saying with full responsibility that all meetings have been held in a very cordial atmosphere. There is no conflict,” Delhi CM said.
Delhi CM further said that no one here has come to get a post but to take India on the path of development. “Some big forces will try to break the INDIA alliance. Today, no one here has come to get a post but to take India on the path of development. I am sure India will come together which will become the cause of this government’s end,” he said.
Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government Kejriwal said that this government is the most corrupt and arrogant government in the history of independent India.
But ahead of the crucial third round of discussions, Bharatiya Janata Party questions unity and stability within the Opposition alliance INDIA. Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said that the INDIA alliance is not going to make any impact because the shops of all dynast parties are being shut due to PM Modi.
“This alliance is not going to make any impact. They have come to Mumbai and have just one agenda – remove PM Modi (from his post). Why this agenda? Because the shops of all dynast parties are being shut due to PM Modi…They have neither a leader nor policy or intention. They may try as much as they want but they won’t be able to remove PM Modi from the minds of people,” Fadnavis said.
Haryana Home Minister and BJP leader Anil Vij called the Opposition alliance INDIA not a party but a tea party. Moreover, Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi said that the alliance cannot dent the prospect of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
He also said that there are many contenders for becoming the prime ministerial candidate of the alliance.
“JD(U) leaders talk about Nitish Kumar’s credentials for becoming a prime ministerial candidate. Congress leaders want Rahul Gandhi to become the prime ministerial candidate while AAP wants Arvind Kejriwal to become the Prime Ministerial candidate,” the BJP leader said.
Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party President, Samrat Chaudhary lashed out at the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the opposition alliance INDIA and said this is a nation looting alliance, nothing else.
“Nitish Kumar will not get anything in the ‘Ghamandiya alliance’. There are 22 PM faces in this alliance and 17 faces of convenor. This is a nation looting alliance, these parties are preparing how to loot the country,” Samrat said.
The next election is still many months away. Or it may be called sooner than later. But now the battle lines between the opposition’s INDIA bloc and the BJP-led NDA are clearly drawn and a big fight is on the cards.
