2024 Lok Sabha Elections: Opposition parties unite in Bengaluru against BJP

Bengaluru, July 17: Opposition parties are set to convene for the second joint meeting in Bengaluru, Karnataka, starting today, with the Congress party garnering support from 25 parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Over the course of July 17 and 18, leaders from at least 26 opposition parties will gather at a hotel in Bengaluru to establish a united front against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the central level.

Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, has been assigned the responsibility of overseeing the preparations for the meeting. Accommodations have been arranged at a five-star hotel in the city for all the opposition leaders.

The initial schedule includes a joint press conference by Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications, and KC Venugopal, Congress General Secretary, scheduled for 11 am on Monday. Subsequently, opposition leaders will begin arriving in the afternoon.

An informal meeting is slated for 6 pm, followed by dinner at 8 pm. On July 18, the meeting will commence at 11 am and continue until 4 pm. A press conference is expected to take place afterward, potentially announcing the campaign strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

#WATCH | Ahead of the beginning of joint opposition meeting in Bengaluru, Karnataka Minister & Congress leader Priyank Kharge says, "We have all come together with a certain ideology and we have come together to preserve the idea of India and the Constitution. If BJP has a… pic.twitter.com/4YgxdvBgQR — ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2023

During the Bengaluru meeting, discussions will revolve around determining the name of the opposition alliance and deliberating on a common minimum program. Several committees are likely to be formed to address various issues that may arise within the alliance, with the possibility of establishing different groups and sub-groups.

The meeting will also address topics such as fielding a common opposition candidate for at least 80% of the Lok Sabha seats against the BJP, forging alliances in states, and distributing tickets in key constituencies. Additionally, there will be deliberations on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

Notable opposition figures, including former Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, are expected to attend the crucial meeting in Bengaluru. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) confirmed its participation following the Congress's declaration that it would oppose the Centre's ordinance on administrative services in Delhi if a bill is presented in Parliament to replace the ordinance.

Despite suffering a leg injury, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee intends to attend the opposition meeting, responding to Sonia Gandhi's invitation. In the previous meeting held in Patna, Bihar, on June 23, 15 out of the 16 invited opposition parties attended, with the AAP and Congress experiencing a temporary rift due to the Congress's delayed response regarding the Centre's ordinance. Jayant Chowdhary, the leader of the Rashtriya Lok Dal Party, who had distanced himself from the Patna meeting, is scheduled to attend the Bengaluru gathering on Monday.

Moreover, the Congress has extended invitations to 10 additional parties for the second opposition meeting in Bengaluru, aiming to increase its support base compared to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The invited parties include the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Kongu Desa Makkal Katchi (KDMK), Forward Bloc, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kerala Congress (Joseph), Kerala Congress (Mani), Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), and Tamil Nadu's Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK).

Sources suggest that the Congress, as the primary host of the two-day meeting, is striving to make it grander than the one convened by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna on June 13.

Also Read: AAP to attend Oppn meet in Bengaluru after Cong takes stand against Centre’s ordinance

- ANI

Join Whatsapp Channel