INDIA bloc's key meeting post Congress defeat: 'Main nahi, hum'
INDIA bloc meeting: Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh announced the rescheduled fourth meeting of the INDIA bloc, set for December 19 after the Congress's electoral setbacks in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Amidst opposition unity concerns, the theme 'Main Nahi, Hum' (Not I, but We) will be a focal point.
Postponed from its original date on December 6 due to the unavailability of several opposition leaders, the meeting aims to consolidate the alliance's unity. Key figures such as West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav cited prior commitments, with TN CM MK Stalin managing Cyclone Michaung's impact.
While some clarified the absence was not indicative of infighting, discord arose after Congress's electoral defeats. Mamata Banerjee asserted that the results were a failure of the Congress rather than a BJP victory.
Seat-sharing discussions, a crucial aspect for the INDIA bloc, and potential talks on a joint campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections are anticipated. The last meeting in Mumbai saw the establishment of coordination committees among the 27 alliance partners.
The seat-sharing talks stalled as Congress hoped for positive results in the states, complicating negotiations. Discontent surfaced, particularly from Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav, dissatisfied with the lack of seat-sharing in Madhya Pradesh, where the party contested 69 seats and faced dismal results, securing less than 1,000 votes on 43 contested seats.
- With inputs from agencies
