In a recent meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, leaders from 28 partner parties gathered to strategize for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls. During this meeting, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal proposed Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge as the prime ministerial candidate for the opposition alliance.
Mamata Banerjee expressed her satisfaction with Kharge’s nomination, stating that he is a respected leader with a five-decade-long political career and a background in social reform. Other leaders, including AAP’s Raghav Chadha and CPI(M)’s Bikash Ranjan, also voiced their support for Kharge, emphasizing the broad acceptance of the Congress leader.
Kharge, with over 50 years of political experience, has risen from a grassroots worker to become the chief of the Congress party and the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. However, despite the proposal, Kharge himself downplayed the idea of being the prime ministerial candidate, emphasizing the importance of winning elections collectively before deciding on specific candidates.
The INDIA bloc aims to present a united front against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the 2024 elections. The meeting also addressed issues such as seat-sharing among alliance partners and the possibility of joint rallies. Congress leader KC Venugopal mentioned that seat-sharing talks would commence without delay.
Mamata Banerjee, in a bid to strengthen the alliance, expressed her readiness for joint campaigning and pledged to rally for any INDIA bloc parties. The meeting took place against the backdrop of heightened tensions between the government and the opposition, particularly regarding the suspension of Parliamentarians during the winter session.
The INDIA bloc, with the theme “Judega Bharat, Jeetega India” (India will unite, India will win), seeks to collectively contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Their primary goal is to prevent the BJP-led NDA from securing a third consecutive term at the Centre. As the alliance gears up for the elections, further discussions and decisions are expected to shape the political landscape in the coming months.
Comments