Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut and others during a meeting to review preparations for the upcoming meeting of I.N.D.I.A leaders, in Mumbai
Credit: X/@ShivSenaUBT_
Setting the tone for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc would give a call of "BJP chale jao" in its crucial Mumbai meeting this week - stepping up the campaign to take on the ruling NDA led by PM Narendra Modi.
The two-day meeting on August 31 and September 1 - to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai's Santacruz - would also unveil the official logo of I.N.D.I.A.
Over 80 leaders of different political parties, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge along with Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, will accompany more than half a dozen chief ministers, namely - Mamata Banerjee. Arvind Kejriwal, and Nitish Kumar.
In the run up to the crucial meeting, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole, on Monday, said that the logo of the I.N.D.I.A would be released during the meeting.
“In Mumbai, Mahatma Gandhi gave the clarion call of "Chale Jao" (go back) to oust the Britishers. In the Mumbai meeting of I.N.D.I.A, the call of "Bhajapa Chale Jao" (BJP go back) would be given against the Modi government,” Patole told reporters in Mumbai.
The announcement comes ahead of Wednesday’s joint press conference of Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders which would be addressed by NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray, senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan, and Nana Patole.
On Thursday evening, Thackeray would host a dinner for the delegates, while Friday morning and post noon would see the deliberations followed by a presser by the top leaders.
Patole, a former state Assembly Speaker, said that the PM candidate will be decided after consultations among the senior leaders attending the meeting later this week.
“However, as a Congress worker, I feel that Rahul Gandhi should become the prime minister. The people of the country are fed up with the BJP rule and Modi. The PM is fast losing his popularity,” said Patole, a former BJP MP, who was the first to revolt against PM Modi and quit the saffron party and subsequently joined Congress.