INDIA Bloc Not To Release Logo Today As Leaders Seek Last-Minute Changes On Design

Amid speculation of early elections and the establishment of a committee to explore the feasibility of 'one nation, one election,' key leaders of the INDIA opposition bloc on Friday initiated crucial discussions to give structure to their cooperation and crystallise their plans about seat-sharing and a common agenda to take on the NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

During the formal discussions in the third round of opposition meetings, it is expected that the opposition leaders will issue a joint statement and announce the formation of a coordination panel, as well as several sub-committees to delineate their electoral plans.

Leaders from across the country who have gathered for this purpose will focus on specific matters such as establishing a coordination committee, forming sub-groups to address common agendas, media strategies, joint actions, and programs.

During informal discussions over dinner on Thursday evening, leaders emphasized the urgency of finalizing seat-sharing agreements and developing a unified agenda within the next few weeks, according to sources.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has called on leaders of various parties to nominate one representative from their respective parties to be part of the coordination committee.

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is also expected to unveil its logo.

Sources added that the opposition coalition should have a team of spokespersons who can speak on behalf of the alliance. They will also discuss the appointment of a convenor for the bloc.

It was decided that a coordination committee will be formed after discussions, along with at least four sub-groups, including one focused on planning the alliance's joint agenda, another on devising an action plan and handling social media, and one on research and data analysis to challenge the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Additionally, a sub-committee will be established to outline joint campaigns and rallies.

During the informal dinner meeting, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee suggested that the bloc should unveil its manifesto by October 2, while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal proposed finalizing seat-sharing arrangements among parties for the Lok Sabha elections by the end of the following month.

Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party also stressed the need to swiftly settle seat-sharing arrangements between parties in states, citing the limited time left for the opposition alliance.

Kharge urged the meeting participants to prepare a common national agenda, emphasizing the need to formulate bullet points.

Discussions also took place on the abrupt convening of a special session of Parliament, with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, leader of the Janata Dal (United), suggesting that the opposition should be prepared for all possible scenarios to counter the NDA's surprise tactics and "gimmicks."

The government has scheduled a special session of Parliament for five days between September 18 and 22. The Centre has also established a committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind to explore the feasibility of "one nation, one election," which raises the possibility of advancing Lok Sabha polls so that they align with a series of state assembly contests.

Uddhav Thackeray, president of the Shiv Sena (UBT), noted that the Parliament session begins on the first day of Ganesh Chaturthi and expressed curiosity about its significance. He advocated for swift action, saying, "We should not delay our plans further and begin work at the earliest."

Most leaders agreed on the need for early finalization of electoral plans for 2024, considering the possibility of early elections, while emphasizing that time was running out and mere meetings would not suffice.

"Elections are approaching, and we must put our preparations in place and connect with the people," one leader stated.

Another leader suggested initiating action plans and reaching out to the public promptly, proposing that election rallies and protests should commence as early as the next month.

Some leaders also raised concerns about electronic voting machines and called for a discussion on this matter.

Prominent leaders participating in the discussions include Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, former Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal, RJD Supremo Lalu Prasad, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, among others.

The discussions also involve National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti, CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury, CPI's D Raja, CPI (ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and SP President Akhilesh Yadav, and RLD's Jayant Chaudhary.

Before the meeting, all the leaders of the INDIA bloc posed for a group photograph.

The unveiling of the INDIA alliance's logo is now scheduled for 10:30 am. Several designs have been finalized and will be discussed, although it is uncertain whether they will be finalized on this day.

On the first day of the meeting, the leaders also deliberated on the reasons behind the Centre's call for a five-day special session of Parliament.