With an eye on 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Opposition bloc –Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) –will be holding its crucial third meeting in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1 where the alliance logo will be unveiled and strategies for the general elections including seat-sharing in the states are expected to be discussed.

Formation of the coordination committee and appointment of convenors are also on the agenda of the Opposition bloc’s meeting. As per the sources, the 26-party Opposition alliance is likely to see an expansion with some more regional outfits joining it in Mumbai.

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has arrived in Mumbai to participate in the third meeting of the Opposition alliance.

INDIA or Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance is a group of 26 opposition parties, including the Congress. These parties have come together to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The first meeting of the joint opposition was convened in Patna in June and the second meeting was held in Bengaluru on July 17,18. The Mumbai meet is being hosted by the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction led by Uddhav Thackeray.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, who has reached Mumbai to take part in the third meeting of opposition parties, said a decision regarding the appointment of a national convener for the INDIA bloc will be taken on Thursday.

“It will be decided tomorrow,” Lalu Yadav said answering a query.

“The agenda will be to make preparations for the times ahead. Elections are approaching. If candidates have to be decided, we need to sit together,” he added.

Amid speculations around the seat-sharing formula that is to be adopted by the INDIA partners, National Conference (NC) patriarch Farooq Abdullah said the focus, for now, was for the Opposition bloc to secure a majority in next year’s Lok Sabha elections.

Talking to a news agency on Wednesday, the former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister said: “Why worry? What has to happen, will happen. Only God knows what will happen. We have to make an effort to secure a majority (in the next general elections).”

Speculations have gained ground that there may be talks of a seat-sharing formula during the third meeting of the INDIA partners in Mumbai.

Congress leader Ashok Chavan said that leaders of the INDIA bloc have come together to save democracy in the country.

Addressing a joint press conference in Mumbai, Chavan said: “It is our responsibility to save India. Earlier we were an alliance of 26 parties and now we are 28. Maharashtra has led from the front during the independence struggle. Today it will again play an important role. We are raising questions on unemployment, and inflation. It is not a personal fight but a fight to save the nation.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that all preparations are done for the third meeting of the INDIA bloc. “Six sitting Chief Ministers are coming to attend this meeting. All preparations are done for the meeting,” he said.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said: “We are very happy that the INDIA alliance meeting is going to take place in Maharashtra. In Bengaluru, we were 26 (parties). Here, it has become 28 (parties). Jaise INDIA badhega, waise hi China peeche hatega (When INDIA moves forward, China will step back).”

Speaking on the face of the INDIA alliance, AAP leader Raghav Chadha told a news agency that the AAP has not joined the INDIA alliance for the PM post. “Arvind Kejriwal is not in the race to become the Prime Minister of India,” he said.

“We have joined the INDIA alliance to prepare a blueprint for a better India and to free India from the evils and shackles of unemployment, price rise, inflation, etc that the current PM Modi-led government has thrust upon the people of India,” he said.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh said: “Arvind Kejriwal’s motive to join the INDIA Alliance is to save the country. Arvind Kejriwal is not in the race to be a Prime Minister. The issues like the PM candidate and seat sharing will be decided by consensus by the alliance.”