Second Opposition meet concludes in Bengaluru; coalition for 2024 polls to be named INDIA

Bengaluru/New Delhi [India], July 18 : The Opposition with 26 parties came up with a name for the alliance for the 2024 LS polls, announcing that it would be called the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, or INDIA.
On Tuesday, while addressing the media after the meeting, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Earlier, we were UPA and now all the 26 parties have given a name to the opposition and that is – Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). Everybody has agreed upon this, and the resolution for the name was passed unanimously.”
The development came as top leaders of 26 Opposition parties from across the country met in Bengaluru on Tuesday to discuss a united strategy to take on the ruling NDA alliance at the Centre, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi chief Thol Thirumavalavan said that the name was proposed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
“The name of the opposition alliance- INDIA was proposed by West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. After a long discussion, it was decided to be called as 'Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance,” VCK chief told ANI.
On the other hand, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate said that Rahul Gandhi justified why it should be INDIA during the discussion in the meeting.
“It is a collective effort. We all sat together, and we all decided on names. Rahul ji spearheaded this, he justified why it should be INDIA. He argued for it,” Srinate told ANI.
The representatives of the 26 parties— 10 more than the 16 parties which had met in Patna on June 23 — also decided to set up an 11-member coordination committee, including all the major parties, and a ‘secretariat’ in Delhi for campaign management and for coordinating the working of various sub-committees, which will take up specific issues.
“The next opposition meeting will be held in Mumbai; the date will be announced soon. An 11-member coordination committee will be set up. Names of committee members will be announced in Mumbai,” Kharge said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called the Lok Sabha elections next year a fight between India and PM Modi.
“This fight is not between 2 political formations but the fight is to defend the idea of India. If you will see history, you will find that nobody has been able to fight the idea of India. It's a fight between the idea of India and Narendra Modi,” Gandhi said.
He further added, “The fight is against BJP and its ideology. This fight is between India and Narendra Modi.”
Kharge further said that the BJP wants to “destroy” democracy and the constitution of the country using autonomous bodies.
“The BJP wants to destroy democracy, Constitution, using autonomous bodies like CBI, ED, vigilance all such institutions against opposition party leaders and workers. This is a grave situation. We have come together to save this situation. How to save the country and the people of the country -- this is the issue before us,” Kharge said.
On being asked who will lead the alliance, Kharge said, "We are making a coordination committee of 11. At that meeting in Mumbai, we will decide on who the 11 will be, who the Convenor will be, etc. These are small things".
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said that the outcome of this meeting of like-minded opposition parties is clearly indicating that the BJP is “totally worried”.
“We have to protect the idea of India which has been disturbed by the BJP,” he said.
Congress leader Gurdeep Singh Sappal said, "This fight is between the idea of India and RSS' idea of India. All opposition parties will fight the upcoming election together. Face is not important (for PM post), what is important today is who will raise the issues of people."
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while warning the ruling party at the centre said, "NDA, BJP, can you challenge INDIA?"
"We love our motherland. We are the patriotic people of the country. We are for the country, the world, farmers, for all," she said, adding that people -- Hindus, Dalits, minorities, farmers, in Bengal, and Manipur -- are under threat from the BJP, whose only job is "buying and selling governments".
The Aam Aadami Party (AAP) attended the meeting with the Congress assuring the party of its support for the BJP government’s ordinance nullifying the Supreme Court’s order to give the Delhi government larger control over the bureaucracy in the state.
AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, while addressing the press conference said that the leaders of the like-minded parties came to Karnataka’s Bengaluru to save the country from “hatred”.
“In the last 9 years, PM Modi could have done a lot of things but he destroyed all the sectors. We have gathered here not for ourselves but to save the country from hatred...” Arvind Kejriwal said.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the Opposition parties also lashed out at the BJP for holding the meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the National Capital on Tuesday, coinciding with the Opposition party.
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah slammed the party for ‘suddenly reviving the idea of NDA’.
"When was the last time an NDA meeting was held? Why they (BJP) have suddenly revived the idea of NDA? For them (BJP) alliance has become a necessity...,” Omar Abdullah said while talking to the reporters here.
Omar Abdullah was among the leaders of 26 like-minded parties that were part of the second Opposition meeting held in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
A meeting of 38 parties of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was convened in the national capital on Tuesday.
On the other hand, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti who was also representing the Union Territory with Abdullah said that everything on which the country stands is at stake.
“This is not a time for us to be proud of whatever is happening in the country because people outside our country are pointing fingers at us... So I think today our country, not only internally we are going through a turmoil where the very existence on which our country stands, everything is at stake,” Mufti said.
The 26 parties resolved to “safeguard the idea of India as enshrined in the Constitution”.
The leaders also accused the BJP of systematically assaulting the “character of our republic” and expressed their steadfast resolve to “safeguard the idea of India”.     
The Samuhik Sankalp of 26 political parties belonging to I.N.D.I.A alleged that the pillars of the Indian Constitution “are being methodically and menacingly undermined”.
The leaders decided to have a new name for the group I.N.D.I.A  - India National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.
“We, the leaders of India’s 26 progressive parties, express our steadfast resolve to safeguard the idea of India as enshrined in the Constitution. The character of our republic is being severely assaulted in a systematic manner by the BJP. We are at a most crucial juncture in our nation’s history. The foundational pillars of the Indian Constitution – secular democracy, economic sovereignty, social justice and federalism – are being methodically and menacingly undermined,” the Samuhik Sankalp statement said.
The Opposition leaders alleged that BJP was “brazenly misusing agencies” against political rivals and was undermining democracy.
They expressed grave concern over the humanitarian tragedy that has "destroyed Manipur".  
“The silence of the Prime Minister is shocking and unprecedented. There is an urgent need to bring Manipur back on the path of peace and reconciliation,” the statement said.
They also demanded a caste census.  The leaders said that they have come together to defeat “hatred and violence” being manufactured against minorities and stop the rising crimes against women, Dalits, Adivasis and Kashmiri Pandits. 
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also said that the Opposition parties are fighting for inclusive India which is written in the Constitution and PM Modi is fighting for exclusive India. 
“The Opposition has taken this name (INDIA) because, in the coming months, it will be India vs PM Modi because all the people here (Opposition) are fighting for the inclusive India which is written in the Constitution and PM Modi is fighting for exclusive India,” Sibbal said.
He further questioned Prime Minister Modi over his remarks on dynastic politics and asked, “Which dynastic politics he (PM Modi) is talking about? Does Arvind Kejriwal belongs to a dynasty or Ashok Gehlot belongs to a dynasty...These statements are not based on anything substantial.”