The opposition INDIA coalition, an acronym for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, is set to hold a crucial conference this week to plan its strategy against the BJP as the Lok Sabha election preparations pick up steam.

On August 31 and September 1, the INDIA coalition will meet for the third time in Mumbai, with the position of convener and perhaps chairperson of the alliance serving as a major debate point. Despite Sonia Gandhi being favoured to convene the bloc, another leader — possibly Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, a national daily quoted top sources, maybe one of the front runners indicating that Sonia Gandhi might not be agreeable to some. At a dinner for 26 party leaders on August 31 at Mumbai’s Grand Hyatt Hotel, the exact agenda for the September 1 INDIA meeting will be decided.

Advertisement

Nitish Kumar reaffirmed his lack of interest in any position on Monday. Kumar declared, “I do not want anything,” in Patna today. NCP leader Sharad Pawar met his nephew Ajit Pawar, who recently left the Opposition to join the BJP-Shiv Sena administration in Maharashtra.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi’s constituents Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) publicly complained that the NCP founder’s private meetings with Ajit were confusing the MVA cadres. Opposition leaders continue to be apprehensive of elder Pawar’s politics.

Uncertainty still exists regarding whether the convenership issue will be discussed at the Mumbai gathering because Pawar and Nitish are both playing their own cards.

Sonia is the veteran who is most likely to offer the alliance broad leadership since, according to sources of the national newspaper, any coalition that wants to succeed against the BJP must first maintain its unity. “Sonia Gandhi’s talent for bridging divides is well known. The question is whether she concurs, according to a top opposition leader.

Despite having various inconsistencies, the INDIA group is hoping to nominate a single candidate to challenge the BJP in the general election of 2024.

Meanwhile on September 1, BJP chief JP Nadda is also likely to hold a review of the ongoing Lok Sabha Pravas Yojana under which Union Ministers have been tasked with nurturing over 160 weak parliamentary segments which the party lost in 2019. However, there is no official word on the meeting.