Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal CM and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav pictured during the I.N.D.I.A meet in Mumbai, September 1, 2023.
Credit: PTI Photo
I.N.D.I.A parties on Friday pressed the fast forward button to enter election mode by deciding to initiate seat-sharing discussions for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls “immediately” and conclude it “at the earliest” in a “collaborative spirit of give and take”.
However, the alliance acknowledged that it would not be an easy task for the 28-party bloc spread across the country, saying it had resolved to contest the 2024 elections together “as far as possible”, indicating the possibility of trouble in states like Kerala, Punjab, West Bengal and Telangana.
While leaders agreed to be accommodative in seat-sharing arrangements, there was no discussion on finding a chairperson or convener for the bloc. Sources said there were differences over the issue of the caste census.
Seat-sharing found serious mention in the interventions of a number of leaders during the meeting, including those from TMC, JD(U), AAP, RJD and Samajwadi Party, among others, who demanded setting a deadline to finish the exercise. Congress leaders indicated that they were ready to be “accommodative”, while several parties were of the view that a deadline cannot be fixed on this.
To draw up plans for the fight against the Modi regime, the I.N.D.I.A parties also decided to have 14-member Coordination and Election Strategy Committee, a 19-member Campaign Committee, and a Working Groups on Media (19), Social Media (12), and Research (11).
The parties will hold around half-a-dozen rallies in different regions of the country on issues like unemployment, price rise, and saving democracy. One of the suggestions was to hold rallies in Patna, Nagpur, Delhi, Chennai, and Guwahati but a final call on venues has been left to the committees.
They will also coordinate their respective communications and media strategies and campaigns with the theme ‘Judega Bharat, Jeetega I.N.D.I.A’ in different languages.
The leaders are also planning to bring out a vision document identifying the alliance's campaign talking points on October 2. The plan, suggested by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is to unveil it in Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.
The decisions came after over 60 leaders from 28 parties put their heads together during the third meeting of I.N.D.I.A parties hosted by Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray here. The meeting was held against the backdrop of speculation about early general elections, with the Modi government announcing a committee to explore its 'One Nation, One Election' plan.
Sources said Congress is likely to be the next organiser for an I.N.D.I.A meeting and they are likely to propose Hyderabad or Bhopal as Telangana and Madhya Pradesh are headed to polls.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi put the closed door deliberations in perspective during a press conference, “we have taken two very big steps. One is the formation of a coordination committee and committees under this coordination committee. We will expedite all seat-sharing discussions and decisions and make them happen as soon as possible.”
Referring to the leaders on dais, he added, “this stage represents 60 per cent of the Indian population. If the parties on this stage unite, it will be impossible for the BJP to win elections.” Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar supplemented Rahul saying, “we are on a fast forward mode.”
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said I.N.D.I.A is not just an alliance of 28 parties but a coalition of 140 crore Indians and more parties are joining hands. “I.N.D.I.A alliance will ensure that Modi’s debacle,” he said.
Amid clamour for being declared the Prime Ministerial candidate, including from his party, Kejriwal said there is no fight for any post in the bloc and nobody is after any post. An AAP spokesperson had earlier suggested that Kejriwal be declared the Prime Ministerial face of the alliance.
Thackeray said they were fighting to ensure that India is “fear-free”. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said they would go across the country and campaign to oust the Modi government from power.