The suspension of MPs in Parliament came up at the meeting with leaders, cutting across party lines, condemning the action against the members.
INDIA bloc meeting held in New Delhi.
AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge’s name was proposed as the Prime Minister face for the INDIA bloc to take on the Narendra Modi-led BJP in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Mallikarjun Kharge hails from Karnataka’s Kalaburagi.
A crucial meeting of the Opposition INDIA bloc began in the national capital on Tuesday, 19 December, where top leaders were discussing the way forward, including seat-sharing, for taking on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
At the meeting, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal proposed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s name as the prime ministerial candidate of the bloc. The veteran Congress leader, however, is said to have turned it down, pointing out that it was important to win first and everything else can be decided later.
Sources, however, said that there was no final decision on the issue.
After his name was proposed as the Opposition bloc’s candidate to become the country’s first Dalit prime minister at a meeting attended by 28 Opposition leaders, Kharge said, “I work for the downtrodden. Let’s win first, then we will see. I don’t seek anything.”
MDMK leader Vaiko said, after the meeting, that Kharge’s name was proposed by Banerjee and Kejriwal. “There was no opposition to that name, Mr Kharge’s,” Vaiko told reporters.
Kharge said that INDIA bloc parties will focus on seat-sharing talks at the state level and hold public meetings across the country, stressing that any decision on the prime ministerial candidate will be taken only after the elections.
Sources said that INDIA bloc parties have decided to finalise seat sharing by the second week of January.
Addressing a press conference after a meeting of top leaders of the INDIA bloc, Kharge said, “All INDIA parties unanimously decided how to take the alliance forward. At least 8-10 meetings will be done together across the country.”
“If alliance members don’t come on the same stage, people will not come to know of the alliance. Everyone agreed to it,” he said.
The Congress president said seat-sharing talks will be held at the state level and, if any issues arise, INDIA bloc leadership will address them.
“Whether Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Bihar, UP, Delhi, or Punjab, the issues on seat sharing will be resolved,” he said.
When asked about possibly being the prime ministerial face of the alliance, he said, “We have to win first and think about what to do to win. What is the point in discussing PM before having MPs. We will try to get a majority together.”
The suspension of 141 Opposition MPs in both Houses of Parliament came up at the meeting with leaders cutting across party lines condemning the action against the members.
“The leaders asserted that they will continue to fight against the tyranny of this government,” a source said.
Harping on putting up a united front, the Congress alleged that democracy is being “mercilessly murdered” and MPs who raise people’s issues are suspended from the House.
“In such an adverse situation, our unity is our strength,” the party posted on X after the meeting began.
The Opposition leaders are deliberating on a blueprint for a joint campaign, seat-sharing arrangement and redrawing their strategy after the Congress suffered a setback in the recent assembly polls, where BJP won in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Evolving a “core positive agenda” will also be among the main challenges before the INDIA bloc.
Sharing a video on X, the Congress said senior leaders including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, CPP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi were present at the meeting of the INDIA alliance in Delhi.
“Today, democracy is being mercilessly murdered by the Modi government. Representatives who raise public voice are suspended from the House. In such an adverse situation, our unity is our strength and this resolve to protect democracy is our energy,” the party said in a post on X.
The suspension of a total of 141 Opposition MPs from Parliament reinforces our charge that an autocratic BJP wants to demolish Democracy in this country. pic.twitter.com/9zWz5Wylho
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 19, 2023
Since last Thursday, as many as 141 Opposition MPs have been suspended from both Houses of Parliament for disrupting proceedings.
“We will give a befitting reply to the dictatorship of the Modi government. Will not be afraid, will not stop, will fight and win. Jai Hind,” the Congress posted.
This is the fourth meeting of the INDIA bloc leaders, with the first one held in Patna, followed by meetings in Bengaluru and Mumbai.
Sources said there is a likelihood that seat-sharing talks may begin immediately and would end by this month itself, amid demands by some leaders to finish them soonest
The leaders would also brainstorm on evolving their joint campaign strategy and presenting a positive agenda to emerge as an alternative to the BJP.
According to a senior Congress leader, the constituents of the Opposition alliance intend to move forward with the theme “Main Nahin, Hum (We, Not Me)” at the meeting.
The meeting began at the Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi with Kharge, the Gandhis, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in attendance, besides NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.
Among the leaders present at the meeting are former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad, DMK’s TR Baalu, CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav, CPI’s D Raja, NC’s Farooq Abdullah, ET Mohammed Basheer, EK Elangovan, RSP’s NK Premchandran, Kerala Congress (M)’s Jose K Mani, NCP’s and Supriya Sule and JMM’s Mahua Maji, among others.
(With PTI inputs)
May 15, 2024
May 15, 2024
May 15, 2024
May 14, 2024
May 13, 2024
May 12, 2024
