‘It’s India vs Modi fight’: Opposition parties hit out at BJP after new alliance formation

Bangalore: Setting the tone for their 2024 Lok Sabha campaign, 26 opposition parties on Tuesday formed an alliance – the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) – to unite and take on the ruling NDA, asserted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. That the fight will be “between India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi”. Announcing the name of the opposition group at a press conference here after a nearly four-hour meeting of 26 parties, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “We will fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections unitedly and put up a spectacular performance.”

He said that a committee of 11 members would be constituted for coordination and a coordinator would be selected in the next meeting in Mumbai.

Kharge also said that a secretariat would also be set up in Delhi for campaign management of the alliance and specific committees would be formed for different issues. He said the dates for the Mumbai meeting would be announced soon.

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While Kharge refrained from giving a direct answer on who would be the face of the new alliance, earlier in his opening remarks at the meeting, he said the Congress was not interested in power or the prime minister’s post.

“Our intention in this meeting is not to grab power for ourselves. It is to protect our constitution, democracy, secularism and social justice,” he said.

Kharge said that the second meeting of the opposition group after the Patna conference was very important to save democracy and the Constitution in the interest of the people of the country.

“Our alliance will be called the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA),” Kharge said.

Kharge also said that “we have some differences but we have put them behind…we are together in the interest of the country…we will fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections unitedly and achieve great success.” ,

Kharge also launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Modi, saying that he is now trying to bring together scattered parties and this shows that “he is scared of opposition parties”.

His remarks came just ahead of a meeting of the 38 members of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance), which also included some new members.

Fight is against BJP’s ideology: Rahul Gandhi

Addressing a joint press conference with other leaders, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said they have decided to prepare an action plan where they will talk about their ideology and programmes.

“This fight is against the ideology and thinking of the BJP, they are attacking the country, unemployment is at its peak, and the wealth of the country is being snatched from lakhs of people and handed over to the BJP and some friends of the Prime Minister.” Gandhi said.

“We are defending the Constitution, the voice of Indians and the idea of ​​India. You know what happens to anyone who wants to fight the idea of ​​India… This is a fight between India and the BJP, this India It is a fight between Narendra Modi,” the former Congress chief said.

Gandhi said that the fight is not between the opposition parties and the BJP, but it is “a fight for the idea of ​​India that is being attacked”.

We are fighting for the family: Uddhav Thackeray takes a jibe at PM Modi

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray hit out at Modi, saying some people say ‘we are fighting for the family’, he should know that ‘the country is our family and we are fighting for our country’.

The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) party chief also said that the fight of the opposition parties is not against any individual but against “dictatorship”.

Thackeray said, “People are scared of what will happen, we want to tell them that there was a film ‘Main Hoon Na’, so they should not worry, ‘Hum Hain Na’.”

He said that one person and one party is not the country.

Kharge and Thackeray’s comments came after Modi earlier in the day described the Bengaluru meeting as a “conclave of corrupts” and alleged that the opposition’s mantra was “by the family and for the family”.

‘BJP, can you challenge India?’: Mamata Banerjee challenges the saffron party

In her remarks at the press conference, Banerjee thanked all the leaders present, describing Rahul Gandhi as “our favourite”.

Referring to the name of the alliance adopted, Banerjee said, “BJP, can you challenge India? We love our motherland, we are patriotic people of the country, we are for farmers, dalits, we are for the country.” are for, are for the world.” ,

He alleged that the only work of the central government today is to buy and sell governments.

Banerjee said, “India will win, our country will win and the BJP will lose.”

He said that the opposition group has imposed Section 420 on the ruling coalition with today’s announcements. While Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code deals with cases of cheating, Banerjee did not elaborate on her comments.

When asked who would be the face of the alliance, Kharge did not give a direct answer and said that the name of the coordination committee and a coordinator in Mumbai would be decided.

In his remarks at the press conference, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said that Prime Minister Modi got a chance to do a lot for the country in nine years, but there was no development in any field.

Live: Press briefing by united like-minded opposition parties in Bengaluru, Karnataka. https://t.co/5kM0qsDsgu– Congress (@INCIndia) 18 July 2023

While most of the leaders including Sharad Pawar were present at the press conference, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav had already left the press conference as they had to catch a flight.

There are 26 opposition parties – Congress, TMC, DMK, AAP, JD(U), RJD, JMM, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Shiv Sena (UBT), SP, NC, PDP, CPI(M), CPI, RLD, MDMK , Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK), VCK, RSP, CPI-ML (Liberation), Forward Bloc, IUML, Kerala Congress (Joseph), Kerala Congress (Mani), Apna Dal (Kamerwadi), and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK). .

In their ‘collective resolution (joint resolution)’ issued after the meeting, the opposition parties demanded the implementation of the caste census and said they would come up with a solution to defeat “hatred and violence against minorities” as well as “increasing crimes”. have come together against women, Dalits, Adivasis and Kashmiri Pandits”.

He also expressed “grave concern” over the “human tragedy” that has “ravaged” Manipur.

“There is a deliberate attempt to weaken the federal structure of our polity. The role of Governors and LGs (Lt. Governors) in non-BJP ruled states has exceeded all constitutional norms,” ​​he said in the resolution.

He also alleged that the “brazen misuse” of agencies by the BJP government against political rivals was undermining democracy.

Collective resolution of 26 political ashrams associated with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)- pic.twitter.com/JsxXQBaL2s– Congress (@INCIndia) 18 July 2023

The 26 parties have a combined strength of about 150 seats in the Lok Sabha against the NDA’s more than 330 seats, and are in power individually or in alliance in Delhi and 10 states.

The meeting was attended by presidents and leaders of several parties, along with top opposition leaders including Sonia Gandhi, chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The leaders also held informal discussions at the dinner meeting on Monday.