INDIA alliance to hold first joint rally in Bhopal next month; agrees to take up caste census

New Delhi [India], September 13 : The INDIA bloc comprising over two dozen opposition parties decided to hold their first joint public meeting in Bhopal in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh in the first week of October and said the constituent parties will start seat-sharing talks at the earliest.
The first meeting of the Coordination Committee of the INDIA alliance was held at NCP chief Sharad Pawar's residence in the national capital.
After the INDIA Alliance Coordination Committee meeting, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said that the Committee has decided to start the process for determining seat-sharing "at the earliest".
"The first meeting of the Coordination Committee was held today at the residence of Sharad Pawar and attended by 12 members parties. Abhishek Banerjee of All India Trinamool Congress could not attend the meeting due to a summon by the Enforcement Directorate, arising out of the vendetta politics of Bharatiya Janata Party," the joint statement read.
"The Coordination Committee has decided to start the process for determining seat-sharing. It was decided that member parties would hold talks and decide at the earliest," it stated.
"The committee decided to hold joint public meetings in different parts of the country. The first public meeting will be held at Bhopal in the first week of October on the issues of rising prices, unemployment and corruption of the BJP government," it said.
"The parties present in the meeting agreed to take up the issue of Caste Census," it stated.
"The coordination committee authorised the Sub-Group on Media to decide upon the names of the anchors on whose shows none of the INDIA parties will send their representatives," it added.
Meanwhile, according to the sources, the seat-sharing formula will be prepared by the India alliance parties not only for the General Elections but also for the upcoming Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, MP, Telangana and other states.
The member parties will sit together to formulate a strategy for the upcoming Assembly polls.
The next INDIA Alliance meeting will be held after the Parliament special session.
Moreover, in the meeting, a discussion was also being done on the controversy regarding Sanatan Dharma. Stalin's letter was being discussed and it was decided that all the parties would take the same line, sources added.
After the meeting, several leaders of the INDIA alliance said that the discussion on seat sharing will finalised soon.
Terming the INDIA Alliance Coordination Committee meeting "fruitful and positive", Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said that all the parties would take up the issue of caste census.
"The meeting was fruitful and positive. Several issues and strategies were discussed...It was decided the first INDIA alliance rally would be held in Bhopal during the first week of October. It was also decided that party members would take a decision on seat sharing at the earliest. All the parties present in the meeting said that we will take up the issue of caste census..."
JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha said, "Discussion happened on seat sharing and state-wise parties will finalise it soon."
After the meeting, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren said that let the time come. Whatever has been decided in the meeting has been told by Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal.
"Let the time come. The people of the country and various political parties are asking a lot of questions...Whatever has been decided in the meeting has been told by Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal. Keeping in view the sequence of events, the INDIA alliance is working on its strategy," Jharkhand CM said.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah further said that the seats that are already held by members of the INDIA block should not be open for discussion.
"The seats that are already held by members of the INDIA block should not be open for discussion, we should be discussing the seats held by the BJP, NDA or parties that are not part of either of those alliances," Abdullah said.
Meanwhile, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said, "The issues of rising prices, corruption by BJP government and unemployment will be highlighted in Bhopal..."
AAP MP Raghav Chadha at the INDIA bloc Coordination Committee meeting said that a joint public rally will be held in Bhopal.
"It has been decided that member parties will start the process for seat-sharing and take a decision on it soon; a joint public rally will be held in Bhopal. It was also decided that the issue of caste census will also be raised," Raghav Chadha said.
SP leader Javed Ali Khan said "Seat sharing will be finalised at the earliest, a public meeting of the alliance will be held in Bhopal in the first week of October..."
Furthermore, CPI leader D Raja said that this was the first meeting of the coordination committee and we discussed several issues.
"This was the first meeting of the coordination committee and we discussed several issues...The member parties will sort negotiation of seat sharing at the state level for the forthcoming elections," the CPI leader said.
Opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) in its third meeting in Mumbai on September 1 announced a 14-member coordination committee.
The names of 13 members have been announced; however, the name of one person is yet to be revealed. The Opposition has yet to choose a convener.
The 14-member committee includes KC Venugopal (Congress), Sharad Pawar (NCP), TR Baalu (DMK), Hemant Soren (JMM), Sanjay Raut (SS), Tejasvi Yadav (RJD), Abhishek Banerjee (TMC), Raghav Chaddha (AAP), Javed Ali Khan (SP), Lallan Singh (JD(U)), D Raja (CPI), Omar Abdullah (NC), Mehbooba Mufti (PDP) and one leader is from the CPI(M) that will give the name later.
The opposition parties, united under the banner of the alliance Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), concluded their third meeting in Maharashtra and adopted resolutions to collectively contest the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections while announcing that seat-sharing arrangements would be finalized as soon as possible through a spirit of give-and-take.