More than two dozen Indian opposition parties said on Tuesday that they had joined hands to form an alliance called “INDIA” to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in parliamentary elections next year.
The decision was announced at the end of a two-day meeting of 26 parties in the southern city of Bengaluru.
Mallikarjun Kharge, president of the main opposition Congress party, said INDIA stood for “Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance”.
It was a “great achievement” for the party that all 26 like-minded parties have come together, Congress tweeted.
“An 11-member Coordination Committee will be set up,” it said and added that the next opposition meeting would be held in Mumbai where the names of 11-panel members would be discussed, finalised and announced. The date of the opposition meeting in Mumbai would be announced soon.
For campaign management, a secretariat will also be set up in Delhi.
“We have gathered here to save our Democracy and the Constitution. This is a collective fight against unemployment, inflation and other key issues that the country is dealing with,” said Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
“The fight is against BJP and its ideology. This fight is between India and Narendra Modi,” Rahul said at the end of the meeting.