INDIA bloc leaders to meet on Dec 6, JDU slams Cong

Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc will meet at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence in Delhi on December 6 to chalk out a strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, sources said on Sunday.During the meeting, which will be held in the evening on Wednesday, the leaders are likely to discuss and finalise their plan to unitedly take on the BJP ahead of the polls, they said.The Congress was awaiting the results of assembly elections in five states -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram -- before finalising the opposition bloc's strategy and seat-sharing arrangement for the general elections. At least 26 parties have come together as part of the INDIA bloc to take on the BJP in the general elections and have so far held three rounds of deliberations in Patna, Bengaluru and Mumbai. The sources said the opposition leaders would now plan joint rallies that were put on hold due to the assembly elections. Congress Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge reportedly dialled the alliance partners, including Indian National Congress (INC), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and Trinamool Congress, and informed them about the meeting.The last opposition meeting was hosted by Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray and saw Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and chief ministers of five states in attendance.
Janata Dal (United) General Secretary Nikhil Mandal slammed Congress’ leadership over party’s poor performance in the assembly elections held in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. In his X post, Mandal said INDIA alliance should be led by Nitish Kumar. He said Congress remained preoccupied with the elections in five states and ignored the alliance, but they did not perform well and the results are out. He added that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was architect of the alliance and could navigate the ship through the rough circumstances.