I.N.D.I.A. Parties to Meet Virtually Today

New Delhi: As seat-sharing discussions carry on amongst the INDIA bloc partners, leaders of the Opposition parties will meet virtually on Saturday morning. Insiders claim that JD(U) chief and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar might be declared as their INDIA bloc’s convenor.

Mr Kumar’s name was supposed to be proposed for the convenor position, however, this did not materialise. This meeting may witness the appointment of a convenor, as well as a spokesperson and a secretariat.

According to sources, the Bihar chief minister's greater focus on national politics benefits the RJD’s interests in the state, hence, the party has reconsidered its earlier opposition to Mr Kumar’s nomination as INDIA block convenor.

Opposition leaders are also likely to discuss the progress made by their respective parties in terms of seat sharing.

The Congress has held meetings with Maharashtra partners Shiv Sena UBT, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA). It has also held meetings with the AAP in Delhi and Punjab. A meeting with Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has also been held.

The Trinamul Congress has already stated that they have given their proposal to the Congress high command, so there is no need for a meeting. These have been preliminary meetings, a final figure will soon emerge.

As many as 28 Opposition parties have come together under the banner of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to take on the BJP and defeat it in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

However, there are many issues which are yet to be resolved within the alliance, including that of appointing a convenor. Seat-sharing talks with members of the Opposition bloc have also not been fruitful so far due to claims and counter-claims on the seats.