Convenor of INDIA bloc likely to be announced at next week’s Mumbai meeting; 27 parties to participate

By Siddharth Sharma
New Delhi [India], August 25 : As many as 27 political parties will be participating in the next meeting of the Opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), scheduled in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1, sources said on Friday.
As per the sources, Swabhimani Shetkari Saghtana (SSS) has been also invited to the third meeting of the INDIA alliance that follows Patna and Bengaluru.
SSS, a former ally of the BJP is led by Raju Shetti, a former two-time MP from Hatkanangale in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district
There were 26 parties at the last meeting in Bengaluru held on July 17-18, while in first such meeting convened in Patna on June 23 saw participation of leaders of 15 political parties.
According to sources, a decision is likely to be taken on the sub-committee and group public meeting for the alliance at the state level.
Also, a convenor of the INDIA coalition is likely to be appointed in the Mumbai meeting, a source said.
A source further said that eight more parties want to join the alliance and a decision will be taken in the upcoming meeting that is scheduled on August 31-September 1 at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Mumbai.
The leaders of 26 political parties formed the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, known as INDIA, to take on the BJP and to unseat PM Modi in the Lok Sabha elections next year.
At their meeting in Mumbai to be hosted by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) the alliance leaders will strategise their next course of action against the BJP-led Central government.
Uddhav Thackeray is set to host a dinner at the venue on August 31 and a press conference will be held post the meeting on September 1.