West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that just because the opposition INDIA bloc hasn’t claimed the right to form the government yet, it doesn’t mean it won’t try again tomorrow. The Trinamool Congress Chief said that her party will “wait and watch” and that she would be pleased to see the “weak and unstable” BJP-led NDA government overthrown.
Banerjee led her party to a resounding victory in West Bengal, securing 29 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, while the main opposition BJP was reduced to 12 seats and the Congress to one, ensuring the TMC’s continued dominance in the state.
“The country needs change; it desires change. This mandate was for a change. We’re waiting and monitoring the situation. This mandate was against Narendra Modi, so he should not be appointed prime minister this time. After meeting with newly elected TMC MPs, Banerjee told reporters that someone else should have been allowed to take over.
“The BJP is forming the government in an undemocratic and illegal manner. Although the INDIA bloc has not yet staked a claim to form the government, that does not mean it will not do so tomorrow. “Let us wait for a while,” she said. The TMC supremo has announced that the party will not attend the new government’s swearing-in ceremony.
“I would be happy to see that this unstable and weak government at the centre is out of power,” Banerjee stated. She stated that TMC MPs in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will seek the repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
New Delhi: The Congress is hopeful of soon finalising the Lok Sabha poll seat-sharing arrangements with INDIA bloc allies AAP and TMC, sources said on Friday, days after the principal opposition party arrived at an understanding with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. Sources said while the talks with the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP have almost been concluded, discussions are still underway with the Mamata Banerjee’s TMC.
The sources expressed hope the leadership would work out a solution soon accommodating the expectations of all parties.The TMC, which is the ruling party in West Bengal, has sought two seats in Assam and one in Meghalaya, which are being discussed. But a senior leader said the Congress is not keen to give away the Meghalaya seat.
There are 14 seats in Assam and two in Meghalaya. As for the understanding with the AAP, the talks between the two parties are almost over with the AAP contesting four seats in Delhi and the Congress three.However, the sources said the AAP has also sought one seat in Haryana and two in Gujarat which included Bharuch, where the late Congress leader Ahmed Patel hailed from. The AAP has already declared Chaitar Vasava as its candidate on the seat.
The sources, however, said Rahul Gandhi is learnt to have put his foot down on the seat considering the party is “emotionally attached” to due it being Patel’s home turf. Patel’s son and daughter are seeking a ticket from Bharuch and talks are being held with the AAP leadership to agree to another seat.
Patel’s son Faisal, who is a contender for the seat, said in a post on X, “Honorable Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji, you listened to me and the Bharuch Congress workers.” “By supporting us, I and my fellow Bharuch Congress workers have been honored. I promise you that I will live up to your faith by winning the Bharuch Lok Sabha,” he said indicating that the Bharuch seat would remain with the Congress.
INDIA bloc parties are together and will fight the polls in alliance, the sources said.A senior party leader also said that seat-sharing talks in Maharashtra are over after top party leadership held discussions with leaders of Shiv Sena (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar in the MVA.
The sources said a formal announcement is delayed because of seats to be given to Prakash Amvedkar’s party.Meanwhile, AAP leaders also said certain new developments are delaying an official seat-sharing announcement with the Congress.
The sources claimed the Congress has expressed willingness to contest North East, Chandni Chowk and North West Delhi seats. Earlier, an agreement was reached that the Congress will contest East, North East and Chandni Chowk seats. Udit Raj won from North West Delhi Lok Sabha seat as a BJP candidate in 2014 polls. He quit the BJP and joined the Congress after being denied a ticket in 2019.
All the 7 Lok Sabha seats in Delhi including North West Delhi were currently held by the BJP. Raj is considered as a front runner probable of the Congress from the seat.
Earlier in the day, AAP general secretary (organisation) Sandeep Pathak in a press conference said that the talks between the two parties are in the “final stages”. Announcements for all the states will be made simultaneously, hopefully “very soon”, he said.Pathak sought to play down the development related to Bharuch seat, saying “its not a big deal.”
Faisal on Thursday said that if Bharuch Lok Sabha seat went to the AAP, he and other “conscientious” Congress workers will not support its candidate. Pathak said, “We will settle the issue mutually. In an alliance such situations and statements come up. We will address it maturely.”
Gandhi’s statement came a week after Banerjee announced that her party Trinamool Congress (TMC) will contest the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal alone.
In a move to end scepticism over a possible rift within the INDIA bloc, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said he did not convey any willingness to get a post in the bloc, emphasising that he is not ‘upset’.
The chief minister added that he will be on board with whatever decision the bloc takes.
The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc of the Opposition met in New Delhi last week for its fourth meeting. The meeting came after Congress suffered a major setback in three states – Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
During the meeting, key opposition leaders recommended Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s name for the prime ministerial post.
In August, Nitish Kumar had reiterated that he did not want the post of national convener of the INDIA bloc, adding that his move to drive the Opposition into unity was not motivated by “personal ambition.”
Meanwhile, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi dialled up Kumar after reports surfaced that he is unhappy with the bloc and how it is advancing. The INDIA bloc meeting concluded with the decision that a call on seat sharing ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2024 would be taken soon.
Currently, the INDIA bloc has set a deadline of December 31 for seat sharing. The Opposition bloc has also decided to launch nationwide public meetings soon. A special focus will also be put on Uttar Pradesh ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
On the other hand, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has set a goal of securing 50 per cent vote share in the next Lok Sabha elections. The party has also announced the beginning of cluster meetings from January 15 while the Yuva Morcha will hold around 5,000 conferences across the country.
The cluster meetings will be attended and addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and BJP President JP Nadda.
Meanwhile, the BJP Yuva Morcha will begin a new campaign for new voters across the nation from January 24.
Will Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) walk away from the ‘Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance’ (India) alliance? This is a question that is coming in people’s minds these days. The answer to this question has been given by AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He has said that his party is committed to supporting the opposition group. Talking to the media, Kejriwal said that Aam Aadmi Party will not separate from the ‘India’ alliance. We are committed to following the dharma of alliance. Let us tell you that after the arrest of Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira in the drug trafficking case of 2015, the Punjab unit of Congress accused the AAP government of the state of taking political revenge, after which the market of speculations is hot. . Rejecting these allegations, AAP has said that action against the MLA from Bhulath has been taken as per law. This statement of party convener Kejriwal assumes significance in the background of this development. Let us discuss here that before the Lok Sabha elections, the opposition parties have formed an alliance which together will give competition to the NDA in 2024.
I do not have detailed information about the case: Kejriwal
AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal has said that AAP is committed to the ‘India’ alliance. We will not separate from the alliance. We are committed to follow the dharma of alliance. On Khaira’s case, Kejriwal said that I have heard about it, but I do not have detailed information. You need to talk to Punjab Police. He further said that the government of (Punjab Chief Minister) Bhagwant Mann is committed to end the drug problem in the state because it is an issue which is ruining the youth of the state. Be it an influential person or an ordinary person, no one will be spared. I am not commenting on any specific incident as I do not have detailed information.
What did Arvind Kejriwal say about PM face?
When Arvind Kejriwal was asked about the ‘India’ alliance not presenting anyone as the Prime Ministerial candidate, he said that we will have to create such a system so that 140 crore Indians feel that he is the Prime Minister. We have to empower the people, not just one person. It is noteworthy that the Punjab unit of Congress has already opposed any alliance with the ruling ‘AAP’ in the state for the 2024 general elections.
What is the whole matter, know here
MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, a Congress leader, has been arrested in the 2015 drug case. Punjab Congress leaders criticized the AAP government for arresting Khaira and asked whether this was the party’s politics of “change” that it had promised. A Congress delegation also met the Punjab Governor and sought his intervention in the matter.
Akali leader also got support
Several senior Congress leaders, including Congress Punjab unit chief Amarinder Singh Raja Wadding, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Pratap Singh Bajwa, former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal supported Khaira and criticized him for allegedly being involved in political vendetta. Targeted the AAP government. Khaira also got support from senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia who criticized the police action against the MLA from Bholath area.
This decision was taken in the meeting of the media related committee of the opposition alliance ‘INDIA’. The media committee of the opposition alliance said in a statement, “As per the decision taken by the ‘INDIA’ coordination committee in its meeting on September 13, 2023, the parties of the opposition alliance will not send their representatives to the shows and programs of these 14 anchors.’ ‘
Urging the alliance of opposition parties to withdraw the decision, NBDA said it is “distressed and concerned” over the decision of the Media Committee of India not to send its representatives to the shows and programs of some journalists/anchors.
NBDA said, “The decision of the media committee of the opposition alliance has set a dangerous precedent. The ban on representatives of the opposition alliance from participating in TV news shows run by some of India’s top TV news personalities is against the ethos of democracy.
Pawan Kheda had tweeted
Pawan Kheda, head of the media department of the Congress and a member of the media committee of the opposition alliance, said, “Every day from 5 pm, shops of hatred are set up on some channels. We will not become customers of the market of hatred. Our aim is a hate-free India.”
Hate shops are decorated on some channels every day from 5 pm onwards.
We will not become customers of the market of hate. Our aim is ‘Hate Free India’.
With a heavy heart it was decided not to participate in the shows and events of some anchors. Unrestrained against our leaders… pic.twitter.com/2xhxh2Hm9h
Kheda also said, “With a heavy heart it has been decided that we will not participate in the shows and programs of some anchors. We have been fighting against unrestrained comments and fake news against our leaders and will continue to fight. But will not allow hatred to spread in the society. Hate will disappear, love will prevail.
BJP leaders strongly criticized the decision
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned this move. The party’s chief spokesperson and MP Anil Baluni issued a statement saying that the opposition parties have demonstrated their oppressive, dictatorial and negative mentality. Baluni said that BJP strongly opposes such distorted mentality which curbs the freedom of expression.
“The media was strangled during the Emergency,” he said. The parties involved in this ‘arrogant’ alliance are working with the same anarchic and emergency mentality. Baluni alleged that such ‘open threat’ to the media is tantamount to suppressing the voice of the people.
Hardeep Singh Puri also surrounded Congress
BJP leader and Union Minister Hardeep Puri compared this move of the alliance of opposition parties to Emergency. He posted on ‘X’, “The only example of curtailment of civil liberties in India we have seen was during the Emergency in 1975. The open call to abolish Sanatan Dharma, FIR against journalists and boycott of media reflects the politics of those dark days of Emergency. This is the real face of INDIA Alliance.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur targeted
Union Minister Anurag Thakur also targeted the opposition alliance and said that this step shows their frustration. Addressing a public meeting in Bhilwara, Rajasthan, he said, “Every day the leaders of Congress and their allies say that they will destroy Sanatan Dharma. He leaves no stone unturned in insulting Hindus. Now they have also started boycotting journalists and filing cases.
JP Nadda also reacted
BJP national president JP Nadda has also reacted to Congress’s decision. He wrote – “There are many examples in the history of Congress of intimidating the media and silencing those with different views. Pandit Nehru restricted freedom of speech and arrested those who criticized him. Indira ji’s ways of doing this She is a gold medalist in the UPA. She called for a committed judiciary, a committed bureaucracy and imposed a terrifying emergency. Rajiv ji tried to bring the media under state control but failed miserably. Sonia ji led UPA social media handles But the ban was being imposed only because Congress did not like his views.”
The history of Congress has many instances of bullying the media and silencing those with differing views.
Pandit Nehru curtailed free speech and arrested those who criticized him.
Indira Ji remains the Gold Medal winner of how to do it- called for committed judiciary,…
National Union of Journalists also expressed objection
Meanwhile, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) termed the boycott as an attack on democracy. NUJ alleged that opposition parties have politicized the media. Rash Bihari, President of the National Union of Journalists, associated with the International Federation of Journalists, said in a statement that this decision of the opposition parties is a ‘dark chapter’ of repression on the media in the democratic history of India.
The News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) criticized the opposition alliance’s decision to boycott 14 anchors, saying it jeopardizes the freedom of the press. This is against the ethos of democracy.
Opposition alliance ‘Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance’ (IndiaThe first meeting of the coordination committee of NCP was held on Wednesday at the residence of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar in New Delhi. In which various issues including future strategy, coordination of seats, election campaign programs and public meetings were discussed.
The first rally of the opposition alliance will be held in the first week of October: Venugopal
After the meeting of the ‘INDIA’ alliance coordination committee, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said, the committee has decided to hold joint public rallies in different parts of the country. The first joint public rally will be held in Bhopal in the first week of October on the issues of price rise, unemployment and corruption by the BJP government. The coordination committee has decided to start the process of deciding the distribution of seats. It was decided that the member parties would hold talks and take a decision as soon as possible.
#WATCH , On INDIA alliance Coordination Committee meeting, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal says, “The Coordination Committee has decided to start the process for determining seat-sharing. It was decided that member parties would hold talks and decide at the earliest. The… pic.twitter.com/JnOmapYJ7Z
After the meeting of the coordination committee of INDIA alliance, AAP party MP Raghav Chadha said, all the parties will take a decision on seat sharing as soon as possible. A joint public rally will be held in Bhopal in the first week of October. Cast sense will be picked up.
What did PM Hemant Soren say after the meeting?
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said after the meeting of the coordination committee of INDIA alliance, whatever was discussed in the meeting today, KC Venugopal has put before you. Keeping an eye on all the developments, INDIA Alliance is working on its strategy.
Omar Abdullah made such a demand on seat sharing
After the meeting of INDIA alliance coordination committee, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and Vice President of National Conference, Omar Abdullah said, I have made the point that the seats (Lok Sabha) already held by INDIA alliance parties should not be discussed. Should be done unless the party holding the seat wants to give it up. The distribution of (Lok Sabha) seats held by BJP, NDA and parties outside the alliance should be discussed. Meanwhile, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said, big scams have taken place in Madhya Pradesh, issues of unemployment and inflation have been discussed.
Consent to raise the issue of caste census vigorously: Aved Ali Khan
After the meeting of INDIA Coalition Coordination Committee, Samajwadi Party leader Javed Ali Khan said, seat distribution will be done soon. A big rally will be held in Bhopal in the first week of October. All the members present have talked about raising the issue of caste census loudly.
These people were present in the opposition meeting
Apart from Sharad Pawar, Congress’s KC Venugopal, DMK’s TR Baalu, Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav, Janata Dal (United)’s Sanjay Jha, Aam Aadmi Party’s Raghav Chadha, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut, National Omar Abdullah of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mehbooba Mufti of the Communist Party of India (CPI), D Raja of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Javed Ali Khan of the Samajwadi Party and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren attended the conference. Congress leader Gurdeep Sappal was also present in this meeting. Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee could not attend this meeting due to his appearance before the Enforcement Directorate. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has not yet selected its representative for this committee.
Opposition parties form ‘India’ to defeat Modi government in upcoming Lok Sabha elections
More than two dozen opposition parties have formed ‘India’ to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the next Lok Sabha elections. In the recent meeting of the leaders of the constituent parties of ‘India’ in Mumbai, a 14-member coordination committee was formed to prepare the outline of the future programs of the alliance.
Opposition parties have held three meetings so far
In the first meeting of the opposition group in Patna in June this year, it was decided that the strongest candidate from each seat would be selected for the Lok Sabha elections. In the resolution issued on September 1 after the third meeting of the opposition alliance held in Mumbai, it was said that the parties will fight the elections unitedly as far as possible and the work of distribution of seats in various states will start immediately and will be completed as soon as possible. According to opposition leaders, while the issue of seat coordination has been resolved in states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Bihar, coordination of seats in some states like Delhi, Punjab and West Bengal is a big challenge.
