Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, on Saturday, claimed that the INDIA bloc would win more than 295 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, after two-and-a-half hours of meeting of the Opposition alliance.

The meeting, convened by Kharge at his residence, was attended by Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and party leaders, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and KC Venugopal, SP President Akhilesh Yadav, NCP-SP President Sharad Pawar, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, Jharkhand CM and JMM leader Champai Soren and party leader Kalpana Soren, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, National Conference President and former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdhullah, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury, and CPI leader D Raja, among others.

During the meeting, the INDIA bloc leaders deliberated on a wide range of issues, especially taking stock of their preparations for the counting day on 4th June.

Addressing the media, the Congress president said, “The meeting of the INDIA bloc lasted for about two-and-a-half hours. We discussed various issues, especially what strategy we should adopt on the day of counting of votes.”

Exuding confidence in the Opposition’s victory in the general elections, he said, “INDIA alliance will win more than 295 seats, not less than that. After asking all our leaders (Opposition), this is the data we got. This is not a government survey, but a public survey. The Public gave the information to our leaders and on the basis of that we are telling this. ”

He also informed that the INDIA bloc sought time to meet the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday to raise their issues and urge the poll panel to take cognizance of their concerns and make required improvements at the earliest.

In response to a question, Kharge said, “INDIA bloc will get an absolute majority. We are united. We will remain united.”

Later, on being asked by reporters whether there was any discussion during the meeting on the prime ministerial face of the alliance, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said, “The PM face will be decided when that situation comes. This is an issue that is not on the agenda of the INDIA now. It will only be after the counting is over.”

CPI leader D Raja said, “We must be very alert during the counting process. So, we must alert our counting agents who will go to the counting stations, how they should be vigilant. This is what we discussed.”

“The leaders who have attended the meeting today are quite confident and quite optimistic that the verdict of the people will be in favour of the INDIA bloc and there will be a change of government. The INDIA bloc will get 295 plus seats,’ he said.

SP chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said, “In Uttar Pradesh, INDI alliance will win the maximum seats.”

Former deputy chief minister of Bihar and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said, “We will win 295 plus seats and INDIA is winning and the people of the country are winning.”

On the prime ministerial face, he simply said, “We will decide later.”