INDIA alliance Mumbai meeting: 26 parties get together, crucial decisions on the cards, what to expect from the two-day event

As many as 63 representatives from 28 political parties get together with the agenda of providing a formidable political alternative; meanwhile BJP calls it, "ghamandiya gathbandhan."

A day before the INDIA alliance meeting kicked off in Mumbai on Thursday, Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray said at a press conference that though the parties in the combine had different ideologies, they were driven by the common goal of saving the country and the Constitution. With that agenda at the back of the mind, with Lok Sabha 2024 elections right in front, the INDIA opposition bloc's two-day meeting took off in Mumbai's Grand Hyatt on August 31. With this meeting, the bloc gets back on the discussion table for the third time, after one session in Patna and Bangalore each. As many as 63 representatives from 28 political parties attended the meeting.

Who attended the meeting?

Short for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), the bloc's agenda includes unveiling a logo, appointment of coordinators and finalizing the formal structure of the grouping. With heads of 28 parties in attendance, there have been speculations about the all important decision of seat-sharing being on the agenda.

Apart from the informal get-together, the two-day meeting also includes a formal sitting on Friday for the important decisions. A proposal for formation of regional and state-wise groups is likely to be made concrete by the end of the second day, along with common minimum programmes, joint agitation programmes etc.

BJP rattled?

Drawing the analogy with India's spacecraft, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra termed BJP as, "Chandrayaan whose rover is working." He also said that, "Congress missile won't take off," and added that the opposition bloc was, "ghamandiya ghatbandhan," at a media briefing in New Delhi on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, during a press conference on Wednesday, NCP chief Sharad Pawar called the alliance, "a formidable alternative forum that will bring about a change in the country." However, the supporters and members of the ruling party criticized the alliance for allegedly lack of clear prime ministerial candidate.

We're increasing: AICC spokesperson

The number of political parties under the INDIA bloc is increasing and so is their morale, said AICC spokesperson Pawan Khera on Wednesday. "The opposition alliance has expanded its ambit to 28 parties by including two regional outfits –The Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP), a Marxist political party in Maharashtra and another regional outfit," he added. He also said that many others who were now with NDA will join the INDIA alliance. Akali Dal and BSP have also joined the alliance.

In a press conference, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stressed the need for a JPC probe. "If the nation wants to know the truth, the one and only way possible is through the JPC probe. We reiterate our demand for a JPC probe into the charges leveled against Adani group in the Hindenburg report."

Some of the notable regional parties who attended the meeting include, Mamata Banerjee's All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), Arvind Kejriwal's AAP, MK Stalin's DMK, Sharad Pawar's NCP, Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal, Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party, currently led by his son Akhilesh Yadav, and RLD and CPI. The India logo will be unveiled on Friday followed by the press conference of the bloc.