Top leaders of the opposition bloc INDIA began hectic parleys in an informal meeting here on Thursday evening to chart out a concrete roadmap to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Ahead of the crucial third round of discussions, Bharatiya Janata Party questions unity and stability within the Opposition alliance INDIA.

The third formal meeting of the opposition bloc INDIA alliance will be held on Friday where leaders of all 28 political parties will finalize the logo, coordination committee, and action plan for the next Lok Sabha Polls.

The first meeting of the joint opposition convened in Patna on June 23 and the second meeting was held in Bengaluru on July 17-18. The third meeting is slated to be in Mumbai on August 31-September 1.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said that the INDIA alliance is not going to make any impact because the shops of all dynast parties are being shut due to PM Modi.
“This alliance is not going to make any impact. They have come to Mumbai and have just one agenda – remove PM Modi (from his post). Why this agenda? Because the shops of all dynast parties are being shut due to PM Modi…They have neither a leader nor policy or intention. They may try as much as they want but they won’t be able to remove PM Modi from the minds of people,” Fadnavis said.

“The kind of leadership that has been given by PM Modi and the manner in which the country is going forward – PM Modi is in people’s minds…So far, five parties have made their claims to the PM post. They can’t decide on one candidate. What will they do even if they decide? None of their candidates can live in the minds of people or who the people will love. So, I think a media event is taking place and we are all watching it,” he added.
Haryana Home Minister and BJP leader Anil Vij called the Opposition alliance INDIA not a party but a tea party.

“This is not a party but a tea party. They fight with each other during the day and sit down for tea at night. You will see their condition, this is just the beginning. In Delhi, Kejriwal and the Congress are fighting each other. In Punjab, AAP and Congress are fighting each other,” Anil Vij said.

Moreover, Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi said that the alliance cannot dent the prospect of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

“Congress has issued posters (ahead of the third meeting of INDIA alliance) on which pictures of 13 leaders are there. Rahul Gandhi’s picture is highlighted most in the posters. But Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal’s photo is not there on the poster. What does it convey? (about the alliance),” Sushil Kumar Modi asked while talking to ANI.
He also said that there are many contenders for becoming the prime ministerial candidate of the alliance.

“JD(U) leaders talk about Nitish Kumar’s credentials for becoming a prime ministerial candidate. Congress leaders want Rahul Gandhi to become the prime ministerial candidate while AAP wants Arvind Kejriwal to become the Prime Ministerial candidate,” the BJP leader said.

He questioned unity in the alliance by mentioning that Congress and CPIM fighting against Trinamool Congress in the West Bengal Assembly bypoll elections that have been held recently and that Congress pitted against AAP in Delhi and in Punjab state politics.
Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party President, Samrat Chaudhary lashed out at the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the opposition alliance INDIA and said this is a nation looting alliance, nothing else.

“Nitish Kumar will not get anything in the ‘Ghamandiya alliance’. There are 22 PM faces in this alliance and 17 faces of convenor. This is a nation looting alliance, these parties are preparing how to loot the country,” Samrat said.
After INDIA alliance’s meeting in Mumbai, NCP leader Anil Deshmukh said, “I have heard that the discussion is underway (over Convener). An announcement can perhaps be made in the press conference that will be held tomorrow. The logo was also supposed to be unveiled but that too is being discussed. There is a meeting once again after breakfast tomorrow…”
Meanwhile, on the INDIA alliance meeting, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah said “There should be a Convener. I think a Working Group is also needed because of the kind of situation that is forming – we can’t hold a meeting every two months like this. I think if meetings are held more regularly by forming a Working Group, it will definitely be effective.”

When asked who will be the PM face of the INDIA alliance, Omar Abdullah said, “If you ask me, I don’t think we need to announce any Prime Ministerial face. Let the elections take place, let us get a majority – the decision will be made after that.”
Similarly, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, after his suspension from Lok Sabha was revoked, said on Thursday that he was not at fault and he probably got misunderstood and if it can be proved that he has uttered anything unparliamentary, he is ready to give up public life.

The Congress leader said that the INDIA alliance has “ruined” PM Narendra Modi’s sleep and “advised” BJP leader Sambit Patra to arrange sleeping pills for the PM.
Chowdhury said, “…I kept my views in the House as per the rules. If I was asked for an explanation in the House I would’ve given it. The way derogatory words are used against Congress in the House is on record. Who will think about this? If it can be proven that I used any wrong word in Parliament, then I will leave public life…”
On being asked about INDIA alliance, Chowdhury said, “INDIA alliance has ruined Modi ji’s sleep. I advise Sambit Patra to arrange sleeping pills for the PM. INDIA alliance becoming a big danger for Modi…”

INDIA or ‘Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance’ is a group of opposition parties, including the Congress. The parties have come together to take on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is led by PM Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and prevent it from winning a third straight term at the Centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Several leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc exuded confidence that they would prove to be a formidable opponent for the government. Several senior leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad already arrived in Mumbai.