Further adding, he said that the discussion on this will be held in upcoming meetings. While speaking to news agency ANI, Nana Patole said, “Our main goal is to end this dictatorship. This decision (seat sharing) will be taken as per the merit of the parties in different states. This will be discussed in the upcoming meetings of INDIA.”

Earlier today West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived in Mumbai and said that “Khela Hoga” meaning the “game is on” as the opposition parties huddle up in Mumbai ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 

Meanwhile, today, the name of the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is likely to be proposed for the Chairperson post of the INDIA bloc sources said as reported by ANI. They also added that that for the post of convenor, competition is between Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

“Also four posts of convenors have also been proposed, which will be discussed. The Congress left the issue of the convenor entirely to the consensus of the allies,” sources said as quoted by ANI.

The opposition parties have come together to take on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is led by PM Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and prevent it from winning a third straight term at the Centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The first meeting of the joint opposition convened in Patna on June 23 and the second meeting was held in Bengaluru on July 17-18. The third meeting is slated to be held in Mumbai on August 31-September 1.

Earlier, Maharashtra BJP Chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday said that the leaders of the INDIA will have enjoyment for two days in the state and then go back. Speaking to ANI, Bawankule said, “I feel they (INDIA alliance) are organising the meeting keeping in mind that they are preparing for a huge war against PM Modi. We are going to the homes of people and the INDIA bloc is organising their meeting in a hotel. They will do the meeting, have enjoyment for two days and go back.”

West Bengal BJP leader Rahul Sinha called the leaders of the INDIA bloc ‘lost souls’ and said that this alliance does not have any vision for the country.   

“All these are lost souls. Whenever the election approaches, all these lost souls gather together to hold discussions in order to escape the investigation related to their corruption. This is an alliance that does not have any vision or goal,” he said. He said people of the country would never accept the INDIA bloc. 

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that all the lovers of the country have united under the INDIA bloc. 

“All lovers of the country are here. We are here to save Bharat mata. We are against authoritarian government and political gimmicks. The way INDIA bloc will move forward, the Centre will start giving gas cylinders for free. The Centre itself is running on gas. Our Constitution needs to be saved from the tyrant forces,” he said.   

Meanwhile, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) on Wednesday clarified that Arvind Kejriwal is not in the race to become the Prime Minister. Delhi Minister Atishi on Wednesday said that Arvind Kejriwal is not a candidate for the Prime Minister’s post. 

(With inputs from ANI)

Updated: 31 Aug 2023, 09:36 AM IST