Mumbai: The two-day meeting of the Opposition INDIA bloc ended on a positive note here on Friday as voiced by leaders of different parties who addressed the media.
“This stage (INDIA alliance) represents 60 per cent of India’s population. If all parties come together then it is impossible for BJP to win. The task is to come together in the most efficient way possible,” said Rahul Gandhi.
The brainstorming session among 28 parties – more than that in the Patna and Bengaluru conclaves in June and July respectively – led to the formation of a 14-member central coordination committee as well as some other panels.
‘Judega Bharat, Jeetega India’ was the slogan that leaders of INDIA group’s constituent parties will use in various languages while addressing public rallies in different parts of the country.
On the important issue of seat sharing in different states for next year’s Lok Sabha elections, all parties released a resolution stating that discussions will be initiated immediately and concluded at the earliest in a ‘collaborative spirit of give-and-take.’
Expressing satisfaction at the “big steps” taken at the Mumbai meeting, Rahul said he saw a “flexibility” among all the leaders. “There are differences, of course, but I am extremely impressed by the way those differences are minimised and ironed out,” Rahul said.
The Congress leader again hit out at the Narendra Modi government.
“The nexus between the Prime Minister and a particular businessman is there for every single person to see. I mentioned yesterday that the G20 is taking place and it’s important for India’s credibility that the Prime Minister makes his position clear and begins an enquiry into what happened to Mr Adani,” said Rahul.
“The idea behind PM Modi’s government is to extract money from the poor people of this country and transfer it to a limited few. So we are going to propose a clear set of ideas that will once again involve the poor people, the farmers, the workers in the progress of this country,” he added.
INDIA’s Central Coordination Panel
KC Venugopal (Congress), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena – UBT), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Abhishek Banerjee (TMC), Raghav Chadha (AAP), TR Baalu (DMK), Javed Khan (SP), Lalan Singh (JD-U), Hemant Soren (JMM), D Raja (CPI), Omar Abdullah (National Conference) Mehbooba Mufti (PDP).
Note: A member from CPI(M) is to be announced.
