Last Updated: September 01, 2023, 19:47 IST
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, West Bengal CM and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and other opposition leaders during the INDIA meeting in Mumbai. (Image/PTI)
INDIA bloc Mumbai meeting: In a joint press conference attended by Uddhav Thackeray, Aditya Thackeray, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Nitish Kumar, Sharad Pawar and others, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi asserted that seat sharing among the different parties will be finalised soon
Leaders of at least 28 opposition parties under the INDIA bloc concluded their third meeting in Mumbai and announced the resolutions and decisions jointly undertaken on Friday. In a joint press conference attended by Uddhav Thackeray, Aditya Thackeray, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Nitish Kumar, Sharad Pawar and others, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi asserted that seat sharing among the different parties will be finalised soon.
The opposition front also formed a 13-member coordination committee along with a resolution to put up a united contest against the ruling BJP in the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
Some meaningful omissions from the committee list include Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. However, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was named as part of the committee.
NCP leader Supriya Sule said the next INDIA bloc meeting will take place in Delhi.
#WATCH | Mumbai | When asked where will the next meeting of INDIA alliance be held, NCP MP Supriya Sule says, “In Delhi”“When do you want it to be held, we will hold it on those dates,” she says when asked about dates for the same. pic.twitter.com/NIm6VspzLi
— ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2023
Latest Updates on INDIA Bloc Meeting
- “Today, two very big steps were taken. If parties at this stage unite, it is impossible for BJP to win elections. The task in front of us is to come together in the most efficient way. Forming a coordination committee and the decision to expedite seat-sharing discussions are two steps necessary to ensure that the INDIA alliance defeats the BJP,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said. “I am confident that the India alliance will defeat the BJP,” he added.
- Gandhi further asserted that there are certain differences between parties INDIA bloc but they are being minimised.
- NCP chief Sharad Pawar said “people who voted for Modi are upset today”.
- RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav launched a direct attack on PM Modi saying “we will rest only after defeating Modi ji.”
- AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said “INDIA bloc will lead to the annihilation of this government”.
- Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said INDIA bloc plans to fight “unemployment” and “price rise”.
- “All parties conducted this meeting well. A structure was formed for the alliance during talks at my residence earlier, in the Patna meeting an agenda was set and now in Mumbai, everyone has kept their views before each other. Everyone has one aim – how to fight unemployment rising fuel prices and LPG cylinder costs? They (BJP) first increased the prices and reduced the price marginally,” Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said while addressing the media.
- Kharge further launched a scathing attack on the government over the issue of calling a special session of Parliament in September saying “the country is going towards dictatorship”. “Today, without asking anyone, the opposition, a special session of Parliament has been called. A special session of Parliament was never called during the COVID-19 pandemic, on the issue of China or over issues of demonetisation and migrant labourers. I don’t what is the agenda now. This is not the way to run the country. We are slowly going towards dictatorship,” he said.