INDIA bloc to finalise seat sharing for LS elections by Sept 30

The INDIA bloc, comprising several Opposition parties, will finalise the seat sharing among the alliance partners for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections by September 30. The decision was taken during the informal meeting of the Opposition parties’ leaders in Mumbai on Thursday, August 31, ahead of the third meeting of the INDIA bloc.

According to sources, the state committees of the parties will implement the seat-sharing formula. The parties are likely to agree on one-on-one contest, which means only one candidate will be fielded against the BJP in all seats to avoid division of votes.

The leaders of the INDIA alliance, who arrived to attend the meeting, said they had come together to ‘save the Constitution and democracy’ in the country, and would evolve a common programme as they prepared to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A two-day meet of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) underway at Grand Hyatt hotel in Mumbai.

Speaking to the reporters, former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav said the need of the hour was to strengthen the unity and sovereignty of the country, and protect the Constitution and democracy. “The Modi government has failed to address the issues of poverty, unemployment and welfare of farmers. At the INDIA alliance meet, we will work on evolving a common programme. We have to contest elections one-on-one (put up common candidates against the BJP),” the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader said.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the formation of the INDIA alliance is aimed at saving the country.
“The country’s federal structure is under threat. States which don’t give a mandate to them (BJP) are being harassed. Alliance is not to increase or decrease the number of seats but to save the country,” he said.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha said the BJP fears the INDIA alliance. “They have hatred for the word INDIA and are even linking the name to a terror outfit. It is not just hatred but also fear about (what) if the alliance succeeds,” he said.

RJD leader Manoj Jha said the alliance is working to unite the country. “It is not just a coalition of parties but that of ideas. The country needs healing, and this coalition is for rebuilding the nation and showing mirror to the ruling party,” Jha said.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said people’s response to INDIA has unnerved the prime minister and the BJP.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) working president Supriya Sule said the INDIA alliance faces the challenge of repairing the damage done by the policies of the Narendra Modi government which has resulted in inflation and unemployment.

“The BJP has a problem with the name of our alliance. It means we are doing well,” she said.