Bengaluru: Setting the tone for his or her 2024 Lok Sabha marketing campaign, 26 opposition events on Tuesday shaped a coalition — Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)– to unitedly tackle the ruling NDA with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi asserting that the struggle might be “between INDIA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi”. Announcing the title of the opposition bloc at a press convention right here after a virtually four-hour-long assembly of the 26 events, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge mentioned,”We’ll fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections unitedly and we will come out with great success.”
He mentioned a committee of 11 members might be arrange for coordination, and a convenor might be chosen on the subsequent assembly in Mumbai.
Kharge additionally mentioned a secretariat can even be arrange in Delhi for marketing campaign administration of the alliance and particular committees might be shaped for separate points. He mentioned the dates for the Mumbai assembly might be introduced quickly.
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While Kharge evaded a direct reply on who can be the face of the brand new alliance, earlier in his opening remarks on the assembly, he mentioned the Congress is just not considering energy or the publish of prime minister.
“Our intention in this meeting is not to gain power for ourselves. It is to protect our Constitution, democracy, secularism and social justice,” he mentioned.
Kharge mentioned the second assembly of the opposition bloc after the Patna conclave was a vital one for saving democracy and the Constitution within the curiosity of the nation’s individuals.
“Our alliance will be called Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA),” Kharge mentioned.
Kharge additionally mentioned that “there are some differences between us but we have put that behind… We are together in the interest of the country…We’ll fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections unitedly and we will come out with great success”.
Kharge additionally launched a scathing assault on Prime Minister Modi, saying he’s now making an attempt to carry collectively events that had splintered and this exhibits that “he is afraid of opposition parties”.
His remarks got here simply forward of a gathering of 38 members of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance), together with some new entrants.
Fight is in opposition to ideology of BJP: Rahul Gandhi
Addressing the joint press convention with different leaders, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi mentioned they’ve determined to organize an motion plan the place they are going to speak about their ideology and programmes.
“The fight is against the ideology of the BJP and their thinking, they are attacking the country, unemployment is rampant, and the country’s wealth is being taken away from millions and handed over to a few of the friends of the BJP and the Prime Minister,” Gandhi mentioned.
“We are defending the Constitution, the voice of Indians and the idea of India. You know what happens to anyone who wants to fight the idea of India… This is a fight between INDIA and the BJP, it is a fight between INDIA and Narendra Modi,” the previous Congress chief mentioned.
Gandhi mentioned the struggle was not between the opposition events and the BJP, however it was a “fight for the idea of India that was being attacked”.
We are combating for household: Uddhav Thackeray’s swipe at PM Modi
Taking a swipe at Modi, former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray mentioned some individuals say “we are fighting for family”, they need to know that “the country is our family and we are fighting for our country”.
The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) get together chief additionally asserted that the opposition events’ struggle is just not in opposition to an individual however in opposition to “dictatorship”.
“People are feeling afraid as to what will happen, we want to say to them that there was a movie ‘Main Hoon Na’, so they should not worry, ‘Hum hain na’,” Thackeray mentioned.
One particular person and one get together is just not the nation, he mentioned.
Kharge and Thackeray’s remarks got here after Modi, earlier within the day referred to the Bengaluru assembly as a “conclave of the corrupt” and alleged that the opposition’s mantra was “of, by and for the family”.
‘BJP, are you able to problem INDIA?’: Mamata Banerjee dares saffron get together
In her remarks on the presser, Banerjee, whereas acknowledging all leaders current, referred to Rahul Gandhi as “our favourite”.
Referring to the title of the alliance adopted, Banerjee mentioned, “BJP, can you challenge INDIA? We love our motherland, we are the patriotic people of the country, we are for farmers, Dalits, we are for the country, for the world.”
The solely job the regime on the Centre does immediately is to purchase and promote governments, she alleged.
“INDIA will win, our country will win and BJP will lose,” Banerjee mentioned.
She mentioned the opposition bloc has imposed part 420 on the ruling alliance with immediately’s bulletins. While part 420 of the Indian Penal Code offers with dishonest circumstances, Banerjee didn’t elaborate on her remarks.
Asked about who can be the face of the alliance, Kharge didn’t give a direct reply and mentioned the coordination committee and a convenor might be named in Mumbai.
In his remarks on the presser, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP nationwide convener Arvind Kejriwal mentioned Prime Minister Modi acquired the chance to do lots for the nation in 9 years, however no growth has occurred in any sector.
LIVE: Press briefing by united like-minded opposition events in Bengaluru, Karnataka. https://t.co/5kM0qsDsgu
— Congress (@INCIndia) July 18, 2023
While most leaders, together with Sharad Pawar, had been current on the presser, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav had left earlier than the press convention as they needed to catch a flight.
The 26 opposition events are — the Congress, TMC, DMK, AAP, JD(U), RJD, JMM, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Shiv Sena (UBT), SP, NC, PDP, CPI(M), CPI, RLD, MDMK, Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK), VCK, RSP, CPI-ML (Liberation), Forward Bloc, IUML, Kerala Congress (Joseph), Kerala Congress (Mani), Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), and the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK).
In their ‘Samuhik Sankalp (joint decision)’ launched after the assembly, the opposition events demanded the implementation of the caste census whereas asserting that they’ve come collectively to defeat the “hatred and violence being manufactured against minorities” in addition to “rising crimes against women, Dalits, tribals and Kashmiri Pandits”.
They additionally expressed “grave concern” over the “humanitarian tragedy” that has “destroyed” Manipur.
“There is a deliberate attempt to weaken the federal structure of our polity. The role of governors and LGs (lieutenant governors) in non-BJP ruled states has exceeded all constitutional norms,” they mentioned within the decision.
They additionally alleged that the “brazen misuse” of businesses by the BJP authorities in opposition to political rivals is undermining democracy.
Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) से जुड़े 26 राजनीतिक दलों का सामूहिक संकल्प- pic.twitter.com/JsxXQBaL2s
— Congress (@INCIndia) July 18, 2023
The 26 events have a mixed power of about 150 seats in Lok Sabha, as in opposition to over 330 of the NDA, and are in energy individually or in alliance in Delhi and 10 states.
Top opposition leaders, together with Sonia Gandhi, chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav together with presidents and leaders of a number of events attended the assembly.
The leaders additionally held casual deliberations at a dinner assembly on Monday.
