JD(U) MP says opposition meeting lacked substance and samosaa
Janata Dal (United) MP Sunil Kumar Pintu, on Wednesday, said that the recently held opposition meeting lacked any serious discussions and was limited to tea and biscuits. He also took a jibe at the Congress—which leads the alliance—stating that there were no samosas due to financial constraints. "Meeting finished on just tea and biscuits without samosa and any discussion on any serious issue," Pintu remarked. Twenty-eight parties attended the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc meeting in New Delhi.
Why does this story matter?
Tuesday's meeting was the fourth of its kind. Opposition leaders previously met in Patna on June 23, Bengaluru on July 17-18, and Mumbai between August 31 and September 1. Despite recent electoral losses, the party has reiterated that its morale remains high and has already conducted an initial analysis of the poll results. While the 2024 election schedule is still unannounced, it is speculated to be held in April-May, giving the opposition just a few months to maneuver its strategies.
Congress's crowdfunding campaign 'Donate for Desh'
Amidst an ostensible cash crunch, the Congress launched a crowdfunding campaign earlier this week. Launched by party President Mallikarjun Kharge, the "Donate for Desh" campaign aims to collect donations of ₹138, ₹1380, or ₹13,800 to combat unemployment and rising costs. "If you keep working by depending on the rich, then tomorrow, we would have to agree to their programs and policies," Kharge said.
Fourth India bloc meeting
The fourth INDIA bloc meeting took place on December 19, with 28 parties sharing their thoughts with the alliance committee. TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee suggested Kharge as the prime ministerial candidate for the mega alliance. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and RJD Chief Lalu Yadav were reportedly displeased with this proposal and left the meeting early. However, Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir denied the claim and insisted that the meeting was "crucial and effective" and ended on a positive note.
Congress to discuss strategy for upcoming Lok Sabha polls
Meanwhile, the Congress has called for a meeting of its working committee on Thursday to deliberate on the strategy for the upcoming 2024 general election. Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi will attend the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi. Notably, the Congress has also formed a National Alliance Committee for seat-sharing discussions. The panel, comprising senior leaders, will negotiate with other INDIA allies on seat adjustments for the Lok Sabha polls.
