Opposition bloc INDIA to fight Lok Sabha polls together as far as possible

MUMBAI: Opposition bloc INDIA on Friday resolved to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls together “as far as possible”, asserting seat-sharing arrangements in states will be concluded at the earliest in a “collaborative spirit of give-and-take”.

It also exuded confidence that the new front would easily defeat the BJP.

Meeting against the backdrop of speculation in certain political circles about early polls and formation of a panel to explore the possibility of ‘one nation, one election’, the opposition bloc leaders set up a 14-member coordination committee that will act as the highest decision-making body of the alliance and initiate work on seat sharing.

Sources said the body has been asked to work out a seat sharing formula by September end, a suggestion that was given during informal talks between the leaders.

The opposition leaders vowed to finalise seat sharing in an accommodative spirit with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claiming at a joint news conference that the alliance represents 60 per cent of the population and if it takes on the BJP unitedly, it will easily defeat the ruling party.

As many as 63 representatives from 28 political parties took part in the third meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) alliance at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai.

The 14-member coordination panel will have K C Venugopal of Congress, T R Baalu of DMK, Sharad Pawar of NCP, Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena, Hemant Soren of JMM, Raghav Chadha of AAP, D Raja of CPI, Javed Ali Khan of SP, Tejashwi Yadav of RJD, Lalan Singh of JD(U), Abhishek Banerjee of TMC, Omar Abdullah of NC and Mehbooba Mufti of PDP.

The CPI-M will give the name of their leader later.

In a resolution passed at the meeting, the INDIA bloc said, “We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections together as far as possible. Seat-sharing arrangements in different states will be initiated immediately and concluded at the earliest in a collaborative spirit of give-and-take.”

It also resolved to organize public rallies at the earliest in different parts of the country on issues of public concern and importance.

The resolution said the INDIA parties will coordinate their communications and media strategies and campaigns with the theme ‘Judega Bharat, Jeetega India’ in different languages.

But the expected unveiling of the logo of the INDIA alliance at the Mumbai meeting was put on hold.

The meeting also indicated that the alliance may go into the collective leadership mode and put off the issue of having a convenor for the bloc.