Battle of the Giants: It will be NDA vs INDIA in 2024 Lok Sabha elections!

Hyderabad: It will be a mega fight between NDA (National Democratic Alliance) and INDIA (Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the country!

As many as 26 parties of the Opposition, which met in Bengaluru, have christened its new alliance as Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), to take on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Earlier, the Congress-led alliance was called United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

While 26 parties were attending the Opposition meeting in Bengaluru, with former UPA chairperson and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi playing a key role in unifying the Opposition, 38 parties were meeting in New Delhi under the ruling NDA.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi took to Twitter to announce the name, saying that the Lok Sabha 2024 contest will be between “Team INDIA and Team NDA.” She said, “So 2024 will be. Team INDIA Vs Team NDA. Chak De, INDIA!” Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD revealed the full form of the INDIA bloc on its Twitter account as the Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance.

This was the second meeting of the Opposition parties in order to put up a united front against the ruling BJP-led NDA ahead of the general elections in 2024. Sources said a Common Minimum Programme would also be announced soon besides working out seat adjustments among the alliance partners.

Realignment of political forces and strategic planning is in the offing as the ruling BJP-led NDA and the Opposition led by Congress are busy holding conclaves in the run-up to the 2024 general elections.

Details need ironing out

Battle lines are drawn between NDA and Opposition INDIA, with the former meeting in New Delhi and the latter in Bengaluru. Both conclaves are politically significant as they would shape the groups that would take on each other in the next Parliament elections and also in the states. However, some irritants exist. Pressing issues such as regional parties asking Congress to stay away from respective states need to be sorted out.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) joined the Opposition conclave on the explicit assurance by Congress that it will fight the Central ordinance in Parliament over the control of services in Delhi.

BJP-led NDA, which lost Assembly polls in Karnataka to Congress, is trying to make all amends to ensure a big win in the Parliament elections amidst prime minister Narendra Modi’s high-pitch international and domestic image building.

AP, Telangana parties stay away

Interestingly, four regional parties in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh—the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in Telangana State, Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh, besides BJD, are keeping away from the NDA and Opposition meetings.

In fact, the Opposition did not invite BRS and AIMIM to the Bengaluru conclave. Ditto with YSRCP and Telugu Desam, who had on-and-off friendly ties with BJP, were not invited to the NDA meeting in New Delhi. Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan is the only invitee from AP by BJP.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, after much dilly-dallying between the Opposition and the NDA alliance, decided to stay neutral for the present. The absence of NDA supporter AP CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has raised eyebrows.

KCR to go solo

CM KCR, who tried to create Opposition unity among non-Congress and non-BJP allies and met chief ministers of several states, failed to bring them on one platform and decided to go solo. KCR, who went hammer and tongs against PM Modi and BJP, suddenly fell silent after cases were booked against daughter K Kavitha and some legislators by the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI.

KCR is also making a foray into Maharashtra politics solo. He has organised public meetings and enrolled local leaders into the party.

On the other hand, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is staying put in Andhra Pradesh and has no plans to spread his wings in neighbouring Telangana State or any other state for the present. However, his sister YS Sharmila is trying her luck.

In fact, TRS and AIMIM have been accused of indirectly supporting the BJP-led NDA and have often been called by their rivals as BJP ‘B Team’, though the former vehemently refute the charge. MIM senior leader and former MLC, Syed Amin Jafri said MIM was not invited to the Opposition conclave hence his party is not attending the meeting.

Conclaves face criticism

The NDA and Opposition meetings have evoked sharp exchanges from rival groups.

Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad took a dig at the Opposition saying everyone in the Opposition wants to contest for the post of prime minister. “Baaraat ka dulkha kon hai? (Who is the groom in the baaraat)” he said, asking about the prime ministerial candidate of the Opposition.

Indian National Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted that the meeting started well. Half the work is done, he said. “We want an India which is governed by the constitutional principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. We want an India that gives hope and confidence to the weakest,” he added.