Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Friday (October 6) convened a meeting, engaging with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to deliberate on the roadmap ahead for the opposition, I.N.D.I.A. The I.N.D.I.A bloc, which last convened in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1, has been strategising its approach to confronting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in forthcoming assembly and general elections.
News agency PTI reported citing sources that the opposition bloc has not convened since its last meeting in Mumbai, but plans are underway to schedule a gathering in the near future.
During the 40-minute meeting, the trio discussed the current political landscape and the path forward for their alliance. They also outlined preparations for the upcoming I.N.D.I.A bloc meeting, PTI report said.
Kharge later shared images of his meeting with Sharad Pawar on social media and conveyed, "Today, along with Shri Rahul Gandhi ji, met NCP President Shri Sharad Pawar ji to further raise the voice of the people of the country." He affirmed their readiness to confront any challenges while echoing the INDIA bloc's slogan, 'Judega Bharat, Jeetega INDIA' (India will unite, INDIA will win).
Pawar also took to social media to post pictures of the meeting and stated, "Paid a courtesy visit to INC President MP Malikarjun Kharge at his residence. MP Rahul Gandhi, NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad, and Gurdeep Sappal, INC CWC Member, were also present for the meeting".
The discussions on Friday followed the cancellation of a joint public meeting of the I.N.D.I.A alliance in Bhopal in October. This cancellation resulted from opposition by Madhya Pradesh Congress Chief Kamal Nath, who objected to statements made by DMK leaders, including Udhayanidhi Stalin, that were perceived as critical of 'Sanatan Dharma,' according to the report.
Amidst these developments, some opposition leaders have suggested that the next I.N.D.I.A alliance meeting take place in West Bengal.