During the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) meeting on Tuesday, at Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi, discussions arose regarding the alliance’s seat-sharing, with a suggestion to conclude the arrangement by December 31. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee put forth the proposal of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge as the alliance’s candidate for the position of Prime Minister.
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal supported the Congress chief as the primary Dalit candidate for the position of Prime Minister. In response, Mr. Kharge clarified that he had never emphasised or invoked his Dalit identity.
During a press conference announcing the INDIA bloc’s decisions, Mr. Kharge stated that the choice of the prime ministerial candidate would be made post the election. He emphasised the need to secure a majority first, and then MPs would democratically decide the opposition’s candidate for the position of Prime Minister, as per Mr. Kharge’s response to reporters’ inquiries.
The fourth INDIA bloc gathering in Delhi, with participation from 28 parties and lasting over two hours, reached a consensus to conduct collective protests on December 22. The protests aim to address the widespread suspension of Opposition MPs during the Winter session of Parliament.
The INDIA bloc passed a resolution raising concerns about electronic voting machines (EVMs) and proposed that voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips should be provided to voters.
Numerous prominent leaders, such as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M.K. Stalin, Rashtriya Janata Dal patriarch Lalu Prasad, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Ms. Banerjee, and Mr. Kejriwal, were notably absent from the press conference, unlike previous gatherings.
Prior to the official gathering of INDIA parties, smaller discussions took place between Mr. Kharge and Mr. Gandhi with Sena leaders Uddhav Thackeray, Aditya Thackeray, and Sanjay Raut. Subsequent meetings involved CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and a third meeting with Mamata Banerjee. These sessions aimed to establish the framework for the broader meeting’s discussions.
