Key Takeaways
- The 2024 Lok Sabha elections become a contest between the BJP and the newly formed INDIA alliance.
- The opposition alliance, comprising 26 parties, aims to defend the Constitution and address issues like the Manipur crisis.
- Leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee voiced strong criticism of Narendra Modi’s policies.
Bengaluru: Setting the tone for the for 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the grand alliance of 26 opposition parties will now be called INDIA, an acronym of Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance.
This was announced by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge after Day 2 of the Opposition meeting here.
Calling it a battle of Modi versus INDIA, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the opposition parties are defending the Constitution.
They also emphasized they represent the voice of Indians and the idea of India.
He said it is a fight between Narendra Modi and INDIA, and India always wins all fights.
“We are defending the Constitution, the voice of Indians and the idea of India. You know what happens to anyone who wants to fight the idea of India… The fight is between NDA and INDIA, Narendra Modi and INDIA, his ideology and INDIA. India always wins all fights,” Rahul Gandhi said.
The meeting was attended by a galaxy of national leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Lalu Prasad, Arvind Kejriwal, Sharad Pawar, Mamata Banerjee, Nitish Kumar, Sitaram Yechury, M K Stalin and others.
Kharge said the next meeting will be held in Mumbai, and INDIA’s convenor will be decided there.
“NDA, BJP, can you challenge INDIA?” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned. “We love our motherland. We are patriotic , and we are for the country, the world, farmers, for all,” she added.
A resolution was passed at the meeting, stating that “the foundational pillars of the Indian Constitution – secular democracy, economic sovereignty, social justice and federalism – are being methodically and menacingly undermined.”
Expressing it as a humanitarian tragedy, the Opposition parties expressed grave concern over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on Manipur violence, and termed it as shocking and unprecedented. “There is an urgent need to bring Manipur back on the path of peace and reconciliation,” they said.
The resolution further alleged that there was a deliberate attempt to weaken the federal structure of the country.
“The role of Governors and LGs in non-BJP ruled states has exceeded all constitutional norms. The brazen misuse of agencies by the BJP government against political rivals is undermining our democracy. Legitimate needs, requirements and entitlements of non BJP ruled states are being actively denied by the Centre,” the resolution said.
