AAP Suggests Kejriwal As Leader of INDIA Bloc Ahead Of Mumbai Meet, Mayawati Dubs Alliance 'Anti-Poor'

The Aam Aadmi Party suggested that its national convener Arvind Kejriwal should be named as the Prime Ministerial candidate ahead of the INDIA bloc's third meeting in Mumbai.

The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday suggested its national convener, Arvind Kejriwal to be named as the Prime Ministerial candidate ahead of the INDIA bloc meeting in Mumbai scheduled to be held on August 31 and September 1. "If you ask me, I would want Arvind Kejriwal to be the Prime Ministerial candidate," said AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar. Even in such back-breaking inflation, the national capital Delhi has the lowest inflation. There is free water, free education, free electricity, free bus rides for women, free pilgrimage for the elderly - still a surplus budget is presented. He raises people's issues and rises as a challenger," she added. 

AAP minister Gopal Rai, however, said that every party wants their leader to become the prime minister. "The Aam Aadmi Party also wants our National Convenor to become the Prime Minister. But as far as who will be the prime ministerial candidate of the I.N.D.I.A alliance, they all will decide together, you will be informed," he said. 

Samajwadi Party, on the other hand, is keen on naming its chief Akhilesh Yadav as the alliance convener. "I want our national president ji Akhilesh ji to become the candidate for the post of PM. He has the ability, he has been the CM of such a big state. If he is the candidate for the post of Prime Minister, then it will be better for the alliance and the development of the country," said party spokesperson Juhi Singh. 

Several parties of the INDIA looked forward for the meeting. "The preparations are done,” said the host Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Wednesday. “Congress and NCP are with us. Our delegates from all over the country have started arriving in Mumbai,” said  Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut. The 26-party bloc has decided to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections unitedly against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. 

"I think all meetings are important. This is all the more important because elections are approaching. We will have to prepare the final roadmap now,” said National Conference President Farooq Abdullah who arrived in Mumbai for the third meeting of the alliance. 

When asked about the Convener of INDIA alliance, he says, "You will get to know when the meeting is held tomorrow, you will get to know by 1st September."

The Mumbai meeting is expected to unveil covers from a long-time question of who will be named as the convener of INDIA alliance. The bloc is likely to announce Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge as convener as it is being said that all party leaders have supported his name for the crucial position being a senior politician. 

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party said that petrol and diesel rates will come down after the Mumbai meeting as LPG rates were reduced by Rupees 200 after Patna and Bengaluru meetings which took place in June and July respectively. 

"LPG rates were reduced by Rs 200 after Patna and Bengaluru meetings (of INDIA alliance). I am sure that petrol and diesel rates will come down after the Mumbai meeting," says AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar. 

When asked about who should be named as the leader of the alliance, Kakkar said, "If you ask me as a party spokesperson, I will put forward the name of Arvind Kejriwal. He has consistently raised issues of the people, has given a model due to which inflation is the lowest in Delhi."

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, however, berated both the INDIA and NDA alliances and alleged them of being “anti-poor, casteist, communal, and pro-rich.” 

“NDA and India alliance are mostly parties with anti-poor casteist, communal, pro-Dhanna Seth and capitalist policies against whose policies BSP is continuously struggling and that is why the question of contesting elections in alliance with them does not arise,” she said in a post on X. 

“BSP, like in 2007, will single-handedly contest the upcoming Lok Sabha and four state assembly general elections by uniting crores of neglected society on the basis of mutual brotherhood rather than the manipulation of the opponents. Media should not spread misconceptions again and again,” she added. 

(With input from Deepak Rawat)