More than two dozen opposition parties in India have come together to jointly contest the 2024 national elections. Their aim is to prevent Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from securing a third consecutive victory. India’s national elections will take place around May.
The coalition named the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), announced that they will work on seat-sharing arrangements in various states to avoid splitting votes in favor of the BJP.
The statement from the bloc read, “We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to contest the forthcoming 2024 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.”
Key leaders from various opposition parties, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress, Sharad Pawar, Arvind Kejriwal, Sitaram Yechury, and Lalu Prasad Yadav, met in Mumbai for a two-day meeting. Their objective was to create a direct contest by fielding one candidate against a BJP candidate in each voting district.
The opposition parties formed this alliance in June. They are challenging the BJP on various fronts, including its economic performance, rising unemployment, and domestic issues such as increasing anti-Muslim sentiment.
Standing Together
Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar state, stated at a news conference after the meeting, “We will be traveling to different locations to spread the word. The meetings will ensure that those at the center will lose for sure. It will also ensure the freedom of media as well. We will stand together.”
Mallikarjun Kharge, the President of the Congress party, criticized the BJP’s “authoritarian misrule”. He highlighted the communal tensions that have escalated during their rule, resulting in hate crimes against innocent individuals, including train passengers and school children. He also mentioned the role of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a far-right Hindu nationalist organization and the ideological mentor of the BJP, in promoting a Hindu-majority state in India.
