Bengaluru : This may be setting the tone for coming years’ Lok Sabha Campaign, 26 opposition parties formed a coalition in the name of –Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) –to unitedly take on the NDA let by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerje asked “ NDA can you challenge INDIA?” , during the joint press conference held at the end of the two-day opposition unity meeting here in bengaluru.
Pitching for opposition unity and making clear a willingness to cede power in its objective to stitch a formidable nationwide alliance to fight BJP in next year’s general elections, Congress made it clear that it is not keen on the prime minister’s post.
Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge, In his inaugural address to leaders of the newly christened I.N.D.I.A, said that his party is not interested in power but in social justice and protecting the idea of India, the Constitution, secularism and democracy.Kharge’s remarks are significant as it is being interpreted as the grand old party’s move to no bargain for the leadership of an alliance unlike with the UPA—which it led for two successive terms from 2004 given its dwindled strength in parliament. It’s also seen as pragmatic nod to the ground situation where regional chieftains have proved to be resilient in containing BJP on their home turf.
AICC President Kharge also alleged that every institution is being turned into “a weapon against the opposition”. “The CBI, ED, Income Tax are routinely used. False criminal cases are filed against our leaders so that they get caught in the legal process. Constitutional authorities are used to suspend our MPs. MLAs are being blackmailed or bribed to move to BJP and topple government” He added. Kharge also took dig at the NDA meet in Delhi at the joint press conference held after opposition meet. “It is clear Prime Minister Narendra Modi is afraid .Prompted by our meeting, the BJP convened an NDA meeting inviting more that 30 parties. We didn’t even know there were so many parties in our country, and we are not sure how many of them are registered” he said.
Kharge also added: “We are 26 parties here. Together, we are in government in 11 states. BJP did not get 303 seats by itself. It used the votes of its allies and came to power and then discarded them. Toda, the BJP president and their leader are running from state to state to patch up their old allies.”
National Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar participated in the second and concluding day of the opposition meeting, giving opposition parties a shot in the arm. Pawar had skipped the first day of the mega joint meeting and the dinner which Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah had hosted. Speculation was rife that he may not make it on second too due to political developments following the split in his party and his nephew joining the government in Maharashtra.
Naveen parnaik-led BJD reiterated its position of equidistance from the NDA and the opposition alliance which Deve Gowda’s JD(S) was not invited by either formation.
