INDIA Bloc Meeting: Check Time, Venue, Who’s Attending, Who’s Not, Agenda

The INDIA bloc meeting begins in New Delhi on Monday for what it calls its first formal meet in several months. It comes right after the latest Assembly elections in four states and the Union Territory of Puducherry where the alliance faced electoral setbacks. Especially after the TMC’s major setback in the West Bengal Assembly elections which shock the whole INDIA Bloc alliance.  Meanwhile, the BJP is looking for a fourth straight term at the Centre in 2029 and secured a history win in West Bengal for the first time and in Assam for a third consecutive term. 

Who’s Attending INDIA Bloc Meeting? 

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi and former West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, along with several other top INDIA bloc leaders, arrived at the Constitution Club in New Delhi for the alliance’s meeting.

Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and Bihar Leader of Opposition Tejasvi Yadav also arrived for the meeting. Mamata Banerjee was accompanied by TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah, along with Left Front leaders John Brittas, Dipankar Bhattacharya and P Sandosh Kumar, are also participating in the meeting.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray will attend the meeting virtually. 

Who is Not Attending INDIA Bloc Meeting? 

DMK will not attend the meeting as Congress ended its long-standing partnership with the party after Congress joined hands with the Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). However, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol. Thirumavalavan arrived at the Constitution Club. Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) MP NK Premachandran will also attend the meeting.

Speaking to the media in New Delhi, KC Venugopal claimed that the BJP was afraid of the INDIA bloc meeting. “You (the media) understand how scared the BJP is of this meeting,” he said. 

What is Agenda of INDIA Bloc Meeting? 

The INDIA Bloc meeting is crucial for the opposition grouping not only due to the challenge posed by the growing political dominance of the BJP but also due to the differences within. This comes at a significant time following a major electoral loss in West Bengal.

The INDIA alliance is expected to discuss its next political startegy and also work on how to show a united face against the Modi government on several big national issues ahead of the coming state elections and the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. 

The opposition bloc’s meeting is coming at a time when the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing political challenges in West Bengal, which is why alliance partners are trying to tighten their coordination against the BJP’s growing influence. 

TMC is also expected to bring up concerns over the alleged attacks on its leaders in West Bengal from other INDIA alliance parties. 

Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D Raja said that the Left will flag the statements by the Congress leadership against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) during the Kerala Assembly elections.

The CPI leader said, “One of the issues is that the national-level Congress leaders questioned the integrity of the Left during the Keralam elections, “the Left has an alliance with the BJP”. Such things cannot be accepted; there has to be a mutual trust. In the absence of mutual respect and trust, how can we build a united movement? The INDIA bloc is a united front which was formed with a common resolve, ‘Desh Bachao, BJP Hatao.’ What are we doing to save the nation and defeat the BJP? We will discuss that,” he added. 

(Inputs from ANI)
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