Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray stated on Friday that the opposition group INDIA does not require a convenor since it has coordination committees that work on consensus, news agency PTI reported. Speaking to reporters after the bloc's meeting, the former Maharashtra chief minister also stated that the INDIA logo has been placed on hold so that people's opinions may be considered. "There was a suggestion that we take people's views on the logo since this fight is for the cause of the people. We will seek their suggestions within a given timeframe and can come up with a better logo," he said.
"There is no confusion about the logo. We had two-three logos ready but put the unveiling on hold because everyone liked the suggestion that we go to the people. People's participation will be with us from day one," he asserted.
Concerning the position of bloc convenor, Thackeray stated that there would be a coordination committee in each state, which "will be the easy way forward."
Asserting that the INDIA alliance had made progress, he said: "We have decided to ensure one-on-one fight (against the ruling BJP-led NDA) wherever possible."
The Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) has joined the alliance, and negotiations with the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi are underway, while coordination committees in other states will consider the same (to bring additional parties into the fold), according to the Shiv Sena (UBT) chairman.
Thackeray said that these committees will report to the presidents of the respective alliance countries.
He was speaking to reporters after meeting with members of the workers union linked with his party at the suburban hotel that held the INDIA meeting.
Thackeray declared the two-day meetings of several opposition parties a success.
A date for the next meeting of the INDIA bloc was not announced at the conclusion of these discussions since it was unnecessary because all of the leaders would go directly to the people, he added.
Thackeray informed reporters that a united public demonstration may be planned soon, and that meetings will be held in every state.
He also questioned if it was appropriate to conduct a special session of Parliament during Ganpati celebrations, and whether the current administration (at the Centre) was "anti-Hindu."
"Lord Ganesh is called vighnaharta (remover of obstacles). We hope with his arrival the nation's troubles will end," he said in an apparent swipe at the BJP-led centre.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi stated on Thursday that the Union government had called a special five-day session of Parliament from September 18 to September 22.