INDIA bloc to hold coordination committee meeting today; to discuss seat-sharing for 2024 elections

The meeting of the 14-member coordination committee of the INDIA bloc, which is the top decision-making body of the grouping, will be held at the residence of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar in Delhi. The coordination panel will meet at 4 p.m. today.

Over two dozen opposition parties have formed the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to take on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance unitedly in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The coordination committee would act as the top decision-making body of the opposition alliance.

Leaders of INDIA parties, in their last meeting in Mumbai, constituted the 14-member coordination committee to chalk out further programme of the bloc.

Also read: 2024 Lok Sabha Polls: Nitish Kumar likely to invite SAD, INLD to join INDIA alliance

INDIA bloc meeting agenda:

The INDIA group’s coordination committee is expected to discuss formulas for seat sharing for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. According to a report by the Hindustan Times, Livemint’s sister publication, the seat-sharing formula will be based on the performance of parties in past elections and the strength of the largest party that is a member of the grouping in every state.

While seat-sharing agreements in Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu are expected to be easy, states such as West Bengal, Delhi, and Punjab could be challenging.

Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, and Nitish Kumar, along with Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Yadav, are believed to have pressed for an immediate discussion on seats in previous meetings too.

The leaders of several opposition parties have sought an early seat-sharing formula to be worked out to ensure that a joint candidate is put up from the opposition side against the BJP candidates in Lok Sabha seats.

In fact, several leaders said that the parties have to “shed their egos” and “vested interests” in arriving at such a formula.

The meeting’s discussion will also revolve around campaigns, social media, research, and media. It will also focus on finalising campaigns and rallies to be held in the coming days.

Leaders will also look at the decisions taken in meetings of the different sub-groups like the campaign committee, working group on media, research, and social media sub-groups.

Also read: ‘Victory of INDIA bloc’: Opposition bags 4 bypoll seats as BJP settles for 3. Top points

INDIA bloc coordination committee members:

The coordination committee members are K C Venugopal (Congress), T R Baalu (DMK), Hemant Soren (JMM), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena-UBT), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Raghav Chadha (AAP), Javed Ali Khan (SP), Lalan Singh (JD-U), D Raja (CPI), Omar Abdullah (National Conference), Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), Abhishek Banerjee (TMC), and a member from CPI-M.

Banerjee, who was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate to appear before it on the same day, will not attend the meeting.

The CPI-M has not yet nominated any member to the committee and will be absent at the meeting as well.

Updated: 13 Sep 2023, 07:38 AM IST