Omkar Dattatray
Twenty six opposition parties and its fifty leaders have met in Bengaluru and deliberated on the opposition unity and this time they have been successful on agreeing a name of the opposition conglomerate .Deliberately and with a purposed the opposition leaders have named their alliance as Indian national democratic inclusive alliance abbreviated as INDIA and with this innovated scheming the opposition parties will fight the NDA in 2024 and it is likely that with this name the opposition alliance will be able to at least give a tough fight to the NDA .At the same time both the NDA as well as the opposition parties are meeting and both are busy in churning and it is to be seen as to whose churning will bring out the nectar .
In Delhi NDA’s 38 parties are meeting under the leadership of prime minister Narendra Modi and it has extended and broad based national democratic alliance and are meeting to give the opposition yet another defeat in 2024 general elections ,however it is easier said than done as this time it will be very difficult to beat the united opposition .It is good that opposition parties had consensus on the name of INDIA but at the same time it can be said that in Bengaluru conclave the last rites of the UPA were performed and in its place a new conglomerate named purposely as INDIA was formed but still the face of the prime ministerial candidate has still not been chosen and for this the INDIA will again meet in Mumbai shortly .Bengaluru again hogged the political limelight as the opposition parties are to draw plans for a joint front to fight the BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections .This is the second time in past two months that Bengaluru is hosting a number of political leaders since several of them gathered for the swearing in ceremony of chief minister Siddaramaiah .
The Bengaluru meeting follows the first such meeting in Patna last month to forge an anti-BJP political front .It is good for the opposition unity that congress senior leader Sonia Gandhi and chief of AAP and the CM of Delhi have attended the important conclave of opposition parties since congress had made it clear that they will support the AAP on the ordinance issue in parliament .It seems that earlier differences between the congress and AAP have been solved.’ ‘India will push back the assault on its people by the BJP ,on their livelihood ,their sense of belonging hand hard earned freedom .Equality ,Social justice and fraternity is the bedrock of INDIA. ”tweeted CPI-M leaders Sitaram Yechury .Prominent opposition leaders arrived Bengaluru and are attending the significant meeting of the opposition parties to deliberate and chalk out the future course of action and further the united opposition move that will be able to take on the NDA/ BJP in 2024 elections which are now only ten months away and all treasury benches and the opposition leaders have stepped up their activities and political meetings to grab the power in 2024.The two day mega meeting is chalking out a joint strategy to take on the formidable BJP unitedly in 2024 Lok sabha elections .The session comes in the backdrop of the spilt of NCP led by Sharad Pawar after Ajit Pawar led faction joined the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena government and also the West Bengal Panchayat polls which saw widespread violence .The AAP,NCP,RJD and JDU are the prominent outfits that took part in the meeting chaired by congress president Mallikarjun Kharge .
While 15 parties attended the last meeting hosted by Bihar chief minister Nitesh Kumar in Patna on June 23rd ,in the second huddle ,top leaders of 26 political parties are attending the two day brainstorming sessions for further uniting the opposition parties.As such 26 opposition parties attended the meeting to set the tone for their 2-2024 Lok Sabha campaign by forming a coalition -Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance–to take on the ruling NDA in 2024 polls .The 26 opposition parties have wrapped up their meeting in Bengaluru by forming an alliance called INDIA .The prime ministerial candidate will most preferably be decided after the polls and the seat sharing by the political parties and the common minimum programme as an agenda for fighting the elections well be decided in the coming days .Wrapping the two day meeting with the announcement of a novel name of INDIA to the alliance decided to settle the seat sharing between the political parties at a later date and the PM face will most likely be decided after the elections .Reiteration of the oppositions slogan ‘United We Stand’ marked the conclusion of the first day of the two day meeting .Ahead of the 2024 general elections ,leaders of 26 opposition parties discussed major 2024 issues in Taj West End Hotel in the evening as part of their efforts to present a united front against BJP government in the centre .
As the 26 leading opposition parties gathered in Bengaluru ,BJP is all set to challenge the opposition alliance.38 parties have entered NDA and are holding a crucial meeting in Delhi under the chairmanship of PM Narendra Modi on 19th July and the meeting has reiterated not to give any chance to INDIA .Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said at the press conference that the Idea of India being attacked by ideology of BJP.AAP president and Delhi CM Kejriwal said ,PM could have done a lot of things but he destroyed all the sectors .
We have gathered here not for ourselves but to save the country from hatred.TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee said INDIA will win ,our country will win and BJP will lose .The next opposition meeting will be held in Mumbai and next date will be announced soon said congress .Kharge said after opposition meet leaders of 26 parties have agreed on a new name for the alliance -I-N-D-I-A .West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the opposition meeting in Bengaluru was fruitful .She said constructive decisions were taken .Today what we discussed ,the outcome will be good for the people of the country .The 26 political parties are the members of INDIA and these include-1- Indian National Congress,2-TMC,3-DMK,4-AAP,5-JDU ,6-RJD,7-JMM,8-NCP Sharad Pawar Group,9-Shiv Sena (UBT) ,10-SP,11-RLD ,12-Apna Dal,13-NC ,14-PDP,15-CPI(M) ,16-CPI,17-CPIML ,18-RSP,19-All India Forward Bloc,20-MDMK ,21-VCK,22-KMDK ,23-MMK,24-IUML,25-kerala congress (M),26-Kerala congress (Joseph).BJP said its alliance is on the basis and idea of India but the opposition alliance is an alliance of corruption and for protecting the dynasties .This has been refuted by the congress and opposition alliance .The INDIA says that BJP destroyed democracy and attacked vital institutions of democracy and used the important agencies to intimidate the opposition leaders.PM Narendra Modi slammed the new opposition front ,saying alliances formed on negativity have never succeeded and asserted that NDA will return to power for the third consecutive term getting 50% of the vote share .The congress leader Rahul Gandhi asserted that the fight will be ”between INDIA and the Prime minister Narendra Modi.’ ‘Congress president Kharge said ,”We will fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections unitedly and will come out with success .”The convener of the alliance will be selected at the next meeting in Mumbai .Kharge said that our intention in this meeting is not to gain power for ourselves .It is to protect our constitution ,democracy ,secularism and social justice .In short whatever will be the outcome of the two day sessions of the opposition parties ,one thing is obvious that 2024 Lok Sabha fight will be between NDA Vs INDIA .It is premature to say which alliance will win in 2024 general elections ,but the game of democracy is on.
(The author is a columnist,
social and KP activist).
