Why Nitish Kumar Was Not Keen On Naming Opposition Bloc As INDIA?

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was reportedly not keen on naming the Opposition bloc as 'INDIA'(Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance), ANI reported citing sources.

It is because it has 'NDA' in it. The name was first coined during the informal Monday evening meeting in Bengaluru, the sources told the news agency. The response from all the parties was asked and all the parties okayed it on Tuesday.

As none raised an objection, Nitish agreed to have INDIA as the name of the anti-BJP alliance. "All right, if all of you are okay with it (the name INDIA), then it is fine," the Bihar Chief Minister was quoted by a source as saying.

Who Suggested The Name?

There are several reports claiming that the name was suggested by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Also, rumours claimed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi coined it.

However, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi chief Thol Thirumavalavan said that the name was proposed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. "The name of the opposition alliance- INDIA was proposed by West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee," ANI quoted him as saying.

Congress leader Supriya Shrinate stated that during the meeting's discussion, Rahul Gandhi put forward his reasons for choosing the name "INDIA." She stated, "It was a collaborative effort where we all participated in the decision-making process. Rahul ji led the discussions and presented the rationale behind selecting 'INDIA'; he passionately advocated for it."

On the other hand, there was confusion around the full form of the name. While Congress President Mallikarjuna Kharge said that INDIA stands for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, some reports stated that the 'D' in INDIA stood for 'Democractic'.

As the anti-BJP parties held a two-day meeting in Bengaluru, the BJP, in a show of strength, had a meeting with its 38 allies in Delhi on Tuesday evening.