The leaders within the opposition INDIA bloc are gearing up for a pivotal discussion set to take place on Saturday, January 13, regarding the distribution of seats between the Congress and coalition partners for the impending Lok Sabha elections.
This virtual meeting, scheduled for 11:30 am, will involve the heads of at least 14 major parties within the alliance, where they will deliberate not only on seat allocation but also on reinforcing the alliance and selecting a convener for the coalition.
There is growing pressure within the coalition to appoint Janata Dal (United) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as the convener, a proposition supported by JDU but opposed by the TMC.
Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary in charge of communications, disclosed that discussions during the meeting would also encompass participation in the upcoming Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, an outreach program led by Rahul Gandhi.
In a social media post on X, Ramesh stated, "INDIA party leaders will be meeting over Zoom tomorrow, January 13th, 2024, at 11:30 am. They will review various issues like seat-sharing talks, participation in Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, and other important matters."
Who might attend
As for the attendees, this marks the second attempt by the grouping to conduct a virtual meeting, with heads of the Congress, NCP, DMK, Shiv Sena (UBT), AAP, RJD, CPI, JMM, National Conference, PDP, JD(U), Samajwadi Party, and the CPI(M) expected to be present. The previous attempt a few days ago did not materialize.
Who might skip
A source from TMC indicated that the party was informed about the meeting on Friday evening and cited pre-scheduled appointments as the reason for Mamata Banerjee's expected absence. The TMC suggested the possibility of holding the meeting next week but reiterated their commitment to the INDIA bloc and the goal of defeating the BJP.
Seat sharing talks
On the preceding day, representatives from AAP and Congress engaged in talks regarding seat-sharing arrangements in key states, such as Delhi and Punjab. The meeting, held at the residence of senior Congress leader Mukul Wasnik, reportedly went smoothly, leading to plans for a subsequent meeting.
However, seat-sharing negotiations between TMC and Congress encountered obstacles in West Bengal, with the TMC signalling a willingness to concede two or three seats, an offer rejected by the state unit of Congress earlier in the week.
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