11-Member Committee To Be Decided At Next Opposition Meeting In Mumbai: Kharge

Opposition Meeting in Bengaluru: In the meeting on Tuesday, which was attended by 26 parties, the Opposition decided to name their alliance INDIA or Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee during opposition parties' meet ( Image Source :PTI )

After two days of deliberations, 26 Opposition parties decided to fight unitedly against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In the meeting on Tuesday, which was attended by 26 parties, the Opposition decided to name their alliance INDIA or Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, said Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

Kharge also said that an 11-member committee will be set up to coordinate the working of the INDIA. The names of the coordinators will be announced at the next Opposition meeting in Mumbai. He also said that the Opposition parties have put their state-level difference behind for the sake of the nation.

While the first day saw informal discussions followed by a dinner meeting hosted by Sonia Gandhi, Tuesday saw formal deliberations in the meeting, which was also attended by NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.

'Don't Know If All Are Even Registered With EC' 

The Congress president questioned the NDA meeting taking place on Tuesday in Delhi. He said that he had never even heard of some of the 38 parties taking part in the meeting. He said: "Till now, Modiji never cared about the NDA constituents. But now he's calling 30 parties. I don't know if they are even registered with the Election Commission." "Modiji is now joining the tukdas (divided parties). This means he is now afraid of the Opposition. Otherwise, he never bothered earlier," Kharge added.

'Opposition Parties Joined Hands To Save Democracy' 

During the meeting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge made it clear that the party was not interested in power or the post of prime minister. In his inaugural address, Kharge said, "Our intention in this meeting is not to gain power for ourselves. It is to protect our Constitution, democracy, secularism and social justice".

While acknowledging the differences among Opposition parties at the state level, Kharge stressed that these were not ideological.

"These differences are not so big that we cannot put them behind for the sake of the common man and middle-class suffering due to inflation, for the sake of our youth suffering due to unemployment, for the sake of the poor, Dalits, Adivasis and the minorities whose rights are being crushed silently behind the scenes," the Congress chief said.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said PM Modi made a "complete mess of almost every sector in his 10-year rule". "It's time to get rid of him," Kejriwal said.

RJD leader Lalu Prasad said there was a need to save the country and democracy and protect the poor, youths, farmers, and minorities. "Everything is being crushed under Narendra Modi's rule," Lalu Prasad said.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah claimed that the Constitution had been eroded and the country's secular fabric undermined during the rule of the Modi government.