MUMBAI: The Opposition bloc’s (INDIA) third meeting, tentatively scheduled for August 31 and September 1 in Mumbai, will discuss the common minimum agenda of the Opposition against the BJP.NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday called a meeting of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, former Congress chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, Ashok Chavan, Congress Legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat and Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole, NCP state president Jayant Patil and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut were present in the meeting at Nehru centre in South Mumbai.
After the meeting, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said the third meeting of INDIA has been scheduled on August 31 and September 1 in Mumbai. “Like the earlier two meetings – Patna and Bengaluru – the Mumbai meeting will also be very successful and fruitful,” Patole said.
He said it decided to form a 15-members committee, five each from each party, that will do coordination and execution of the meeting. “Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and several state chief ministers and prominent leaders of various political fronts will join the two-day meeting in Mumbai,” Patole added.
According to the sources, the Opposition will also discuss the common minimum agenda so that they can go to people with some concrete plan against the BJP-led NDA alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
“In the first Patna meeting, no one was sure whether the Opposition would really come together against the BJP. But this first meeting happened successfully. Then, in the second meeting, the Opposition came up with an INDIA name for their alliance that surprised everyone including the top leadership of the BJP. The Prime Minister and other BJP leaders panicked and reacted to this INDIA name. It shows that INDIA is heading in the right direction,” said a senior NCP leader who requested anonymity.
He said the Opposition’s party has decided to discuss the key issues such as seat sharing later. “After the Mumbai meeting, there will be several other meetings where these controversial issues will be discussed. In the Mumbai meeting, the common minimum agenda will be discussed and the primary draft will be finalized,” he added. However, the status of the NCP remains uncertain with a major portion of the party joining the BJP alliance in Maharashtra.
Meet on Aug 31-Sept 1
According to sources, the Opposition will also discuss the common minimum agenda so that they can go to people with some concrete plan against the BJP-led NDA alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said the third meeting of INDIA has been scheduled on August 31 and September 1 in Mumbai. They will form a 15-members committee, five each from each party, that will do coordination and execution of the meeting.