Collaboration: Opposition Parties Say They Will Contest Every Seat

MUMBAI (IANS) – Several leaders from the Opposition parties on September 1 said the INDIA bloc will oust the “arrogant and corrupt” BJP-led government at the Centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections together as far as possible. Seat-sharing arrangements in different states will be initiated immediately and concluded at the earliest in a collaborative spirit of give-and-take.” This was the resolution, read out by Uddhav Thackeray at the second day of the INDIA conclave held here.

The aim, the media was told, would be to set up a direct fight by putting one contestant against a BJP candidate in every constituency.

Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress party president, said that at stake is the future of India’s multiparty democracy and secular foundations that have been attacked by the Modi regime.  “Modi’s government is slowly taking the country toward a dictatorship,” Kharge told reporters.

“They say the Congress is a dead party… Then who defeated them in Karnataka…? (PM) Narendra Modi is trying to finish the Congress with Adani’s money, dreaming of a Congress-free India,” said Rahul Gandhi.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal said, “This alliance is not only an alliance of  parties, this INDIA  alliance is the alliance of 140 crore people of the country.“

“Modi government is the most corrupt and arrogant government.  As a citizen of the country, it pains me. In the global newspapers, news is being published that our Indian government is working for a single person. How will the country progress if the entire government is engaged in working for one man,” Kejriwal said in an apparent reference to the OCCRP report on the Adani Group.

“It will be the outcome of the INDIA bloc that those who are at the Centre will now lose. It is clear that they will go,” said Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar while addressing the media after the conclusion of the third meeting of the INDIA bloc.

Taking a swipe at the ruling dispensation, Kumar said, “They want to change the history of the country, but unitedly we will not allow them to do so.”

He informed that the INDIA bloc will start its campaign at various places, adding that the elections may be held before the scheduled time.

Echoing a similar sentiment, former Chief Minister and national president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Lalu Prasad Yadav said, “From the very beginning, we are fighting against the BJP. We have made a pledge to oust (Narendra) Modi ji. Since the Gujarat riots, I have been fighting against Modi and Amit Shah. You all know what their history is.”

He also accused the ruling BJP of misusing central agencies like the ED and the CBI to trap Opposition leaders across the country. Attacking the BJP, Yadav said, “By spreading lies, they came to power. They took my name and other leaders and claimed that we had deposited money in Swiss banks.” Taking a swipe at Modi, Lalu said, “During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he had promised to bring back the money from Swiss banks and deposit Rs 15 lakh each in the accounts of people. But no one has received any money so far.”