INDIA Alliance Mumbai Meeting Latest Update: Leaders of 28 Opposition parties met under the banner of Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) in Mumbai on Thursday. During the meeting, the Opposition INDIA bloc discussed their strategy to counter the Narendra Modi-led BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.
They agreed to finalise a seat sharing pact by September 30 amid buzz of early polls after the Centre called for a five-day special Parliament session. Earlier there were reports claiming the decision on seat sharing pact will be left for next meeting and only structure, campaign strategy, slogans and logo will be finalised during the two-day Mumbai meeting.
The issue of special session dominated the INDIA bloc meeting with many opposing the decision saying they were not informed officially about the agenda of the session.
Earlier yesterday, the government made an unexpected announcement and called a special session of Parliament from September 18 to 22. The agenda of the session was not revealed in the government’s announcement made on X, formerly Twitter, by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.
The meeting was attended by top Opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav among others.
On the day one of the meeting, these leaders only discussed their strategy going into polls and tried to build a consensus on who will lead the bloc. Congress chief Kharge is said to be among the front runners. They also finalised a logo and a new theme song to be used in the elections.
However, a formal announcement on decisions taken during the Mumbai meeting will be made on Friday.