The meeting of Opposition parties under the banner of the INDIA bloc concluded this evening, with a broader consensus on redrawing electoral as well as political strategy and pursuing a "united and spirited" fight against the BJP-led NDA government.
The INDIA bloc allies, after holding wide-ranging discussions and deliberations, zeroed in on five key decisions to sharpen their campaign and strategy in taking on the NDA dispensation over multiple pressing issues, including Special Intensive Revision (SIR), paper leaks, unemployment and 'worrying' economic environment prevailing in the country.
Among the foremost decisions, the INDIA bloc parties will write a letter to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) regarding serious apprehensions over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), alleged manipulation of the electoral rolls, and the fairness of elections. The parties expressed unanimity in penning and handing over a ‘protest letter’ to the CJI shortly.
The second decision revolved around students’ agony and despair over the recent NEET paper leaks. Multiple leaders voiced strong concern over the mismanagement of the entire education system under incumbent Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and called for intensifying demands to seek his resignation.
They said that lakhs of youths appearing for NEET and CBSE examinations have been betrayed and left to fend for themselves during his tenure, and hence answers must be sought from those in the chair. Raising alarm bells over the emergent economic climate of the country, the INDIA bloc leaders demanded that the Central government immediately convene an all-party meeting to discuss the current grave economic situation, rising unemployment, inflation, issues concerning farmers, and other important matters of public interest.
Earlier, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in his opening remarks, slammed the Centre for ‘pushing’ the country into a precarious situation due to its inefficient steering of the economy and flawed foreign policy. The INDIA bloc meeting, coming in the backdrop of a big electoral setback in recent Assembly polls, also deliberated upon ways to strengthen the alliance.
It was agreed that all parties of the INDIA alliance would meet every two months. The next meeting has been scheduled for August in Hyderabad. Also, when the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins, a coordination meeting will be held every morning at the office of the Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, where the INDIA bloc will brainstorm on taking on the Centre with unity and unwavering focus on issues of public interest.
The INDIA bloc meet was attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress President Mamata Banerjee, Senior National Conference Leader Omar Abdullah and NCP-SP leader Supriya Sule.
Opposition parties, including Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), distanced themselves from the meeting over differences with the Congress party.