INDIA Alliance Delhi meeting HIGHLIGHTS: The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc’s fourth meeting concluded at the Ashok Hotel in New Delhi with deliberations on leadership, the suspension of Opposition MPs from parliament and a strategy on campaigning and seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The meeting in Delhi came just days after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s victory in the recently concluded Assembly polls in three Hindi heartland states.
The meeting, attended by 28 Opposition parties, also saw a discussion on the prime ministerial face of the alliance. It is learnt that Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal proposed the name of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as the PM face of the alliance. The suggestion was, however, downplayed by Kharge who said that the issue can be resolved after the alliance emerges victorious. Besides Kharge, Mamata and Kejriwal, Congress’ Rahul Gandhi, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin were among several senior leaders who attended the meeting.
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INDIA bloc meeting HIGHLIGHTS: Meeting ends, PM face discussed
According to sources, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has proposed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as the PM face for the upcoming Lokok Sabha elections .
While addressing a press, ahead of the INDIA Bloc meeting, Uddhav Thackeray, the president of Shiv Sena (UBT), highlighted the importance of appointing a coordinator to lead the Opposition front. He mentioned the need for a figure akin to George Fernandes and Sharad Yadav, who served as coordinators for their respective fronts, while simultaneously dismissing any rumours of discord among member parties.
“The coordinator would be a face for the INDIA front. It is necessary as every leader representing the front is busy with challenges in their states. The coordinator will ensure proper coordination and schedule,” he said.
According to sources, the suspension of opposition MPs from both houses was taken up for discussion and condemned.
Given the upcoming Lok Sabha polls 2024, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, constituted a National Alliance Committee, the names of the members of the committee are as follows:
1. Ashok Gehlot
2. Bhupesh Baghel
3. Mukul Wasnik- Convenor
4. Salman Khurshid
5. Mohan Prakash
CPI General Secretary D Raja commented on the INDIA bloc meeting which is currently underway, he said, "In order to save democracy and the Constitution, an alternative is needed. That alternative would be provided by the INDIA Bloc. This meeting is important. We will work out a strategy in order to fight collectively and defeat the BJP."
The INDIA bloc meeting is currently underway in the presence of Congress’ Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, along with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin.
Meanwhile, on the other hand, Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 5 pm amid uproar from the opposition.
Earlier in the afternoon, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray met West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, in the presence of TMC' Abhishek Banerjee, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Aaditya Thackeray, Sanjay Raut and Priyanka Chaturvedi.
Visuals from the fourth meeting of the INDIA alliance, held at the Hotel Ashok in Delhi.
The INDIA Bloc meeting has commenced and is currently underway at the Ashok Hotel, New Delhi
NCP leaders Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule arrived at Ashoka Hotel in Delhi to attend the fourth meeting of INDIA alliance.
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Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi CM and AAP national convener, and Bhagwant Mann, party leader and Punjab CM, arrived at the location for the INDIA Bloc meeting.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar arrived for the INDIA Alliance meeting, in Delhi.
Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, and Sonia Gandhi, the chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, arrived in Delhi for the INDIA bloc meeting .
RJD's chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, along with his son and Bihar's Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav departs for the Ashok Hotel to attend the INDIA alliance meeting held in Delhi today.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee seen at the Ashok Hotel as she arrives to attend the fourth meeting of the INDIA alliance.
JKPDP chief Mehbooba Mufti arrived to take part in INDIA Bloc meeting in New Delhi.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and party leader Ramgopal Yadav arrived at Ashok Hotel in Delhi to attend the INDIA alliance meeting.
Union minister, Nityanand Rai gave a hard-hitting comment on Bihar's Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav. Commenting on the importance of the two in the political landscape of India, he stated, "Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad have little relevance left in country's politics. Everyone is aware about Nitish Kumar, he has handed over Bihar to criminals," he said.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a jab at the opposition for the suspension of MPs in parliament asserting, "How will they now call it (the Parliament) a temple of democracy when the opposition is thrown out in such a manner?."
Posters displayed in Patna, Bihar advocated for Nitish Kumar to be nominated as the prime ministerial face of the alliance prior to the INDIA bloc's gathering in Delhi today.
As the INDIA bloc's fourth meeting is set to commence in a few hours, Union minister Shandilya Giriraj Singh hinted at internal friction between Bihar's CM Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad Yadav. He said, "There is internal bickering going on between Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad. He humiliated women while speaking in the Assembly."
Ahead of the INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi, posters featuring Bihar CM Nitish Kumar were displayed in Patna. Union Minister Nityanand Rai commented that they are unable to manage the situation in Bihar; law and order, as well as the state's development, have significantly deteriorated. He said ,“ Whatever development is happening in the state is because of the policies of the Narendra Modi government. Nitish Kumar will be rejected by the people of Bihar.”
"In today's meeting, we will discuss various things. We need a coordinator (of the alliance), it is not necessary that the coordinator will go on to lead the alliance, but it is important to have one," said Uddhav Thackeray ahead of the INDIA bloc meeting scheduled to take place later in the noon.
Upon the scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi today, MK Stalin asserted, “Tonight, PM Modi has allocated time to meet with me. After explaining the situation to him, I will be visiting Tirunelveli & Thoothukudi tomorrow.”
The floor leaders from the INDIA alliance parties gathered at the Rajya Sabha Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge's chamber within the Parliament ahead of the INDIA bloc meet set to commence today at 3 pm.
On fresh summons issued to Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj stated, "We are also amazed why the summon was sent asking him to appear on December 21. Our legal team is studying the summon and will respond accordingly."
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Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is set to leave for his Vipassana course today, after attending the INDIA meeting.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, along with AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha at Tamil Nadu Bhavan.
Ahead of the meeting, AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi stated, "In the meeting today important points like seat-sharing and others will be discussed. AAP & Arvind Kejriwal will make every possible effort to make INDIA alliance a success."
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal arrived at Tamil Nadu Bhawan to greet CM MK Stalin ahead of the INDIA alliance meeting today in New Delhi.
Leaders from various opposition parties are grappling with the challenge of formulating an alternative common program to counter the ruling BJP in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Their collective goal is to devise a cohesive strategy to confront the BJP in the upcoming polls, following the suspension of 92 Opposition MPs from both Houses of Parliament. The first INDIA bloc meeting was held in Patna on June 23, followed by sessions in Bengaluru on July 17-18 and Mumbai between August 31 and September 1, where the 27 participating parties adopted resolutions for a united front in the approaching elections.