Amid the cloud over Opposition unity in several states triggered by seat-sharing talks among parties, the I.N.D.I.A bloc held discussions on the matter today (January 13) virtually to strengthen the alliance, in a bid to chalk out a strategy on contesting on respective seats across the country in the upcoming general elections. TMC chief Mamata Banerjee skipped the meeting, to be convened over Zoom at around 11.30 am, as she is occupied with prior engagements, sources said.
Mamata is running in loggerheads with the Congress over seat-sharing in West Bengal as TMC and Congress leaders exchanged barbs over the matter in the recent past.
Who participated and who missed?
Mamata Banerjee's TMC has said that the information of the meeting was given at a short notice, and may not attend. Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Arvind Kejriwal, Sitaram Yechury, Sharad Pawar, Omar Abdullah, Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar were present at the meeting. Discussion was also expected on the expansion of I.N.D.I.A bloc, as some parties have expressed desire to join the alliance, like Prakash Ambedkar's VBA.
What happened in the meeting?
Sources further said that the discussions would be held on appointing a convenor of the Opposition alliance. Notably, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s name is being speculated to be put forth as the convenor. Sources also said that his party JDU wants Nitish to be allotted the responsibility of a convenor as he was the one who took the onus of bringing the Opposition parties together on a single platform last year, but the idea is being opposed by the TMC.
“This is the second such attempt to hold a virtual meeting as the previous attempt a few days ago did not materialise,” sources said.
A source said that the party was informed about the meeting on Friday evening, and Mamata has some pre-scheduled appointments due to which she may not attend. The TMC had instead offered that the meeting could take place next week and reassured the party’s commitment to the I.N.D.I.A bloc and taking on the BJP.
I.N.D.I.A bloc
As many as 28 opposition parties have come together under the banner of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to take on the BJP and defeat it in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
However, there are many issues which are yet to be resolved within the alliance, including that of appointing a convenor.
Seat-sharing talks with members of the opposition bloc have also not been fruitful so far due to claims and counterclaims on the seats, mostly in West Bengal, and Punjab where Bhagwant Mann recently claimed that AAP will win all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
(With PTI inputs)
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