The first meeting of the Opposition INDIA bloc’s Coordination Committee will take place today, and the top items on the agenda will be discussions on the seat-sharing formula and developing a general outline of campaign plan before the Lok Sabha elections.
The crucial 14-member opposition panel will meet this evening at Sharad Pawar, the leader of the NCP, in Delhi, at his home.
In order to ensure that a joint candidate from the opposition side is put up from the side against the BJP candidates in Lok Sabha seats, sources claimed leaders of many opposition parties have requested an early seat-sharing formula to be worked up.
However, a number of leaders stated that in order to reach such a solution, the parties must “shed their egos” and “vested interests.”
Although no decision has been made about the criteria, it is most likely to be based on how well parties performed in recent polls on a certain seat.
Seat sharing will be discussed, according to a source with knowledge of the specifics, even if it might not be resolved during today’s meeting.
According to the sources, the leaders would also concentrate on a broad outline of the electoral campaign to challenge the BJP.
Ahead of the meeting, panelist Raghav Chadha stated that it will cover topics including interacting with the public, organizing group rallies, and developing door-to-door campaigns that would be unique to each state.
“Every political party will have to sacrifice three things to make this alliance successful – ambition (mahatvakanksha), a difference of opinion (matbhed) and manbhed,” Mr Chadha said.
The coordination cum election strategy committee of the opposition’s INDIA bloc has 14 members – K C Venugopal (Congress), T R Baalu (DMK), Hemant Soren (JMM), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena-UBT), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Raghav Chadha (AAP), Javed Ali Khan (SP), Lalan Singh (JDU), D Raja (CPI), Omar Abdullah (National Conference), Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), Abhishek Banerjee (TMC), and a member from the CPIM.
Abhishek Banerjee, who was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate to appear before it on the same day, will not attend the meeting.
The CPIM hasn’t yet proposed someone for the committee, and they won’t be present either. A decision regarding the CPIM representative will be made during the politburo meeting slated for September 16–17, according to party sources.
The strongest candidate from each seat would be chosen for the Lok Sabha elections, it was determined during the inaugural meeting of the Opposition group in Patna in June.
The parties would run in elections jointly “as much as possible,” according to the resolution released on September 1 following the third meeting of the bloc, and seat sharing agreements would be “initiated immediately” and completed “at the earliest.”
While states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar are organized, opposition leaders claim that West Bengal, Delhi, and Punjab would likely provide difficulties.
The discussion will also center on organizing rallies and campaigns that will take place soon.
The decisions made in meetings of the various sub-groups, such as the campaign committee, working group on media, research, and social media sub-groups, will also be taken into consideration by the leaders.
“A final shape will be given to the agenda including what would be the programmes and where the campaign will be held. It will all be deliberated upon,” a source said.
In order to compete against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance as a single force in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, more than two dozen opposition parties have combined to establish the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
