Eyes set on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, top leaders from up to 26 opposition parties are expected to attend a two-day brainstorming session in Bengaluru to collectively devise their strategy to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Meanwhile, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) also announced a mega meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, where nearly 30 parties are expected to reaffirm their support for the alliance in a show of strength.
Opposition Meet In Bengaluru
On the eve of the upcoming meeting, the Congress has clarified its stance, stating that it will oppose the ordinance on Delhi services in Parliament, which was a crucial condition set by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for their participation in the talks.
The previous meeting for opposition unity was hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna on June 23 and attended by fifteen parties. However, this time the attendance is expected to increase with leaders from as many as 26 parties slated to participate, according to reports.
Who will be attending?
It is anticipated that Congress Parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi will also be present at the meeting, alongside other prominent leaders such as Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Bihar Chief Minister and JDU leader Nitish Kumar, DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, JMM leader and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is also expected to participate in the gathering.
The two-day session is set to commence with a dinner meeting hosted by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, followed by a formal meeting on Tuesday.
2nd Big Meet for 2024: Oppn to Huddle in Bengaluru for Fight Against BJP | Check Agenda, Attendees
During these gatherings, the opposition parties are anticipated to solidify their unity plans and disclose their upcoming agenda. A senior leader said that in order to confront the formidable strength of the BJP, the opposition parties would need to resolve their differences and work together harmoniously.
The BJP claimed the meeting consisted of a “fractured” Opposition and took a jibe at the Congress’s decision to support AAP on the Delhi Ordinance issue despite opposition from its Delhi and Punjab units.
However, despite the dismissal, the NDA has planned a mega meeting set to take place on Tuesday.
NDA Meet in Delhi
The NDA meeting will be chaired by BJP President JP Nadda and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Several new allies of the BJP, such as Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar, various smaller parties from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and regional parties from northeastern states, are anticipated to participate in the NDA meeting. These include Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People’s Party chief Conrad Sangma; Nagaland Chief Minister and Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party chief Neiphiu Rio; Union Ministers Anupriya Patel of the Apna Dal (Sonelal); Ramdas Athawale of the Republican Party of India.
This marks the first instance during the second term of the Modi government that an NDA meeting of this magnitude is being held, following the departure of several longstanding and significant BJP allies. Alliances with Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, Shiromani Akali Dal, and Janata Dal (United) have been severed due to a range of contentious issues.
Who will be attending?
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, who recently joined hands with the BJP, has emerged as a key figure in the NDA. Rajbhar said that his SBSP and the BJP will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election together. He said the seat sharing will be decided at the July 18 meeting of NDA partners in Delhi.
Amid speculation of Chirag Paswan, the leader of Lok Janshakti Party and son of late Ram Vilas Paswan, returning to the NDA alliance, Nadda extended an invitation for him to attend the meeting in Delhi on July 18. Chirag Paswan had previously parted ways with the NDA in 2020 to challenge Nitish Kumar in Bihar, who was then an ally of the BJP. Despite his party not making a formal decision yet, Chirag Paswan has consistently supported the policies of the Modi government.
The Telugu Desam Party, led by N Chandrababu Naidu and the Shiromani Akali Dal, helmed by the Badal family, will not be part of the NDA despite earlier speculation. Reports indicate that the BJP has decided against forming alliances with these parties and instead plans to contest elections independently in Punjab and join forces with Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party (JSP) in Andhra Pradesh.
Currently, the NDA consists of 24 parties, including the BJP, AIADMK, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), National People’s Party (NPP), Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), Jannayak Janta Party (JJP ), Indiya Makkal Kalvi Munnetra Kazhgam (IMKMK), All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Republic Party of India (RPI), Mizo National Front (MNF), Tamil Manila Congress (TMC), Tripura Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA), Bodo People’s Party (BPP), Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), Mahasthravadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Apna Dal, Assam Gana Parishad (AGP), Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP), Nishad Party, United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), All India NR Congress (AIRNC), Shiromani Akali Dal (Dhindhsa), and Jana Sena (Pawan Kalyan).
The ruling alliance has welcomed new entrants, including the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar, Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJP) headed by Ram Vilas Paswan, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP), Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) led by Om Prakash Rajbhar.
(With agency inputs)