New Delhi:
Congress’s Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi have arrived at Mumbai’s Grand Hyatt hotel for the two-day meet of Opposition bloc INDIA. 28 parties are taking part in the meet, where logo, coordination committee, and action plan are on agenda.
Here are top 10 points on this big story:
-
The top agendas at the meet include choosing a logo for the alliance and setting up a coordination committee.
-
The alliance is also likely to hold discussions on whether to have a convenor or not and a joint action schedule for the 2024 elections. The sticky issue of seat sharing may not be discussed this time.
-
“We will be sitting and discussing a Common Minimum Programme,” veteran leader Sharad Pawar told reporters yesterday. “We have yet to start the dialogue for seat sharing. There is a chance that we might discuss this issue,” he had added.
-
63 representatives from 28 political parties will attend the meet of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) on August 31 and September 1.
-
Earlier today, YS Sharmila, the sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, met Sonia Gandi in Delhi amid speculation that she might merge her YSRTP with the Congress.
-
“Met Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Constructive discussions took place. The daughter of Y S Rajasekhar Reddy would relentlessly work towards benefiting Telangana people,” she told reporters after the meeting.
-
There has been speculation about Ms Sharmila growing closer to the Congress since she met Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in May to congratulate him on the party’s victory.
-
Congress’s Milind Deora said the BJP was “rattled” as it did not expect so many parties from numerous states to come together.
-
The Opposition has claimed credit for the Rs 200 subsidy for cooking gas announced by the Centre earlier this week. “The price of the gas cylinder has been reduced by 200 rupees. That’s because of INDIA meet,” said Sanjay Raut, senior leader of Mr Thackeray’s party.
-
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “The meeting of ‘Ghamandia Gathbandhan’ is going to take place in Mumbai today. These parties have done scams and corruption worth Rs 20 lakh crores. It’s a selfish alliance…Their agenda is maximum profit from corruption.”
