Bengaluru opposition meet: 26 parties name alliance ‘India’, to kick off campaign against BJP, Modi (Lead)

Bengaluru: In a major development, 26 political parties from across the country, meeting in Bengaluru, on Tuesday decided to come together under the banner of India (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) to fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against the BJP.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge made the announcement at a joint press conference following the deliberations.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress head Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, Shiv Sena-UBT chief and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, who spoke in the conference, pledged to defeat the BJP-led NDA and save the country.

Addressing reporters after the meet, Kharge said: “This is a very important meeting to save democracy, and the Constitution. The meeting was convened in the interest of the country.

“We have come together, discussed various points and with one voice made a resolution.”

“Our alliance will be called India. Earlier, we worked within the UPA. Now, the new name is Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (India). The hosting of the meeting in the state is a great achievement,” he maintained.

There will be an 11-member co-ordination committee. It will be set up shortly and names will be decided. There will be a secretariat for campaign management. The office will be in New Delhi.

The next meeting will be held in Mumbai, Kharge announced.

“The meeting discussed today’s situation in the country. The BJP has destroyed democracy, Constitution in India. It has used autonomous bodies like the CBI, the ED, and Vigilance against the opposition leaders.

“We have come together against this and discussed how to save the country and the people of the country,” he said.

Kharge also noted that the previous meet was held in Patna where 16 parties were there and now 26 parties are here.

“After seeing everything, PM Modi is calling an NDA meeting with 30 parties. I don’t know whether they are registered political parties with the EC. Earlier they never cared for their alliance partners. Now, the party President J.P. Nadda is visiting every state. It means that now they are afraid of opposition parties. Earlier they were not bothered,” Kharge said.

“The allies gathered here want to save democracy and fight against unemployment. “Now, our aim would be to take important issues one by one in all states and highlight the failures of the BJP government,” he stated.

–IANS