Opposition meeting: The crucial Opposition parties' meeting in Bengaluru to chalk out the strategy to weave a united front against the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) concluded on Tuesday. At the end of the two-day meeting, all 26 parties' leaders held a joint press conference. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge kickstarted the presser by officially announcing the name of the Opposition's united front - INDIA - (Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance). Trinamool Congress (TMC) president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed the reporters.
NDA, can you challenge INDIA, asked Banerjee while speaking at the press conference.
"It (Opposition meeting) was constructive and fruitful and the real challenge starts today. The only job the regime at the Centre does today is to buy and sell governments. I want to ask BJP and NDA, can they challenge INDIA. INDIA will win, our country will win and BJP will lose," she added.
INDIA will win, NDA will lose, said Mamata.
"We will have to save India as BJP is trying to sell the county," she added.
While opening her speech, she, interestingly showed solidarity with former Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray saying she would not call him a former CM as he would soon be CM again.
Resolution passed at Opposition meeting
"We, the undersigned leaders of India’s 26 progressive parties, express our steadfast resolve to safeguard the idea of India as enshrined in the Constitution. The character of our republic is being severely assaulted in a systematic manner by the BJP. We are at a most crucial juncture in our nation’s history. The foundational pillars of the Indian Constitution – secular democracy, economic sovereignty, social justice and federalism – are being methodically and menacingly undermined," read Samuhik Sankalp (resolution) of 26 political parties passed at the meeting.
