Opposition meet Updates: Rahul justified why it should be INDIA, he argued for it, says Congress

Well, some say Mamata Banerjee and some say Rahul Gandhi. Supriya Shrinate noted it was Rahul Gandhi who came up with the nomenclature, some leaders said TMC chief Mamata Banerjee suggested the "INDIA" name and Rahul Gandhi agreed to it.

They are remembering NDA after a long time...Earlier they said that they don't need NDA, they are enough alone. But now they are holding a meeting, which shows that something is wrong: Karnataka Deputy CM and Congress leader DK Shivakumar on NDA meeting in Delhi

After the Opposition meet, Rahul Gandhi, at the press conference, said the idea of India is being attacked by the ideology of the BJP.

In the last 9 years, PM Modi could have done a lot of things but he destroyed all the sectors. We have gathered here not for ourselves but to save the country from hatred: Kejriwal

INDIA will win, our country will win and BJP will lose: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on the new name of Opposition parties' alliance.

The next Opposition meeting will be held in Mumbai. The next date will be announced soon, Congress said.

Mallikarjun Kharge said while the BJP has announced an NDA meet of 30 parties, he has not heard of these many parties before. “NDA is holding a meeting with 30 parties. I have not heard about so many parties in India. Earlier they didn't hold any meetings but now they are meeting one by one (with NDA parties) PM Modi is now afraid of opposition parties. We have gathered here to save democracy and the Constitution,” he said.

Opposition meet LIVE Updates: After the Opposition meet, Mallikarjun Kharge said leaders of 26 parties have agreed on a new name for the alliance, I-N-D-I-A.

Opposition meet LIVE Updates: The Opposition alliance has been named INDIA. It stands for Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance, the Rashtriya Janata Dal RJD) and the Shiv Sena have confirmed.

Opposition meet LIVE Updates: After the meeting between the Opposition leaders, Arvind Kejriwal has said that PM Modi has ruled the country for the past 10 years and has made a complete mess of the country. He said, “PM Modi got a chance to rule the country for the last ten years and he has made a complete mess of almost every sector in the country. He has created hatred amongst the people, the economy is in shambles, there is so much inflation, so much unemployment in all sectors. Now I think, it is time that the people of this country want to get rid of him, so everyone needs to come together,” he said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a scathing attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi after Bengaluru's Opposition meeting on Tuesday. Kejriwal said, "PM Modi got a chance to rule the country for the last ten years and he has made a complete mess of almost every sector in the country. He has created hatred among the people, the economy is in shambles, and there is so much inflation so much unemployment in all sectors. Now I think, it is time that the people of this country want to get rid of him, so everyone needs to come together".

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the Opposition meeting in Bengaluru was 'fruitful'. She added, "Constructive decision will be taken...Today what we discussed, the outcome after this may be good for the people of this country".

1. Indian National Congress

The Congress is the largest party in the opposition bloc with 80 MPs (49 in Lok Sabha and 31 in Rajya Sabha). It is in power on its own in four states -- Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh -- and is part of the ruling dispensations in Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand.

2. All India Trinamool Congress (TMC)

The Mamata Banerjee-led party is in power in West Bengal and has 35 MPs (23 Lok Sabha and 12 Rajya Sabha). It also has legislators in a few other states, including Meghalaya.

3. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)

Led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, it has influence in Tamil Nadu and in Puducherry. It has 34 MPs (24 in the Lok Sabha and 10 in the Rajya Sabha).

4. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)

The Arvind Kejriwal-led party is in power in Delhi and Punjab and has 11 MPs (one in Lok Sabha and 10 in Rajya Sabha). 

5. Janata Dal (United)

Led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who hosted the first opposition meeting in Patna, the party officially has 21 MPs (16 Lok Sabha and five Rajya Sabha). Its effective strength could vary since Kumar snapped ties with the BJP last year and joined hands with the RJD and the Congress to stay in power in Bihar.

6. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)

The party led by Lalu Prasad is part of the government in Bihar with his son Tejashwi Yadav as the deputy chief minister. It has six MPs -- all in Rajya Sabha.

7. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)

The party of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren leads a coalition government in the state. It has three MPs (one in Lok Sabha and two in Rajya Sabha).

8. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) – Sharad Pawar Group

Founded by Sharad Pawar, NCP has suffered a split since meeting of opposition parties in Patna. The faction led by Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar has joined the Maharashtra government of the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The Sharad Pawar faction is currently part of the opposition in the state along with Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT).

9. Shiv Sena (UBT)

The Shiv Sena, founded by Balasaheb Thackeray, split in June last year with a large chunk of MLAs led by Eknath Shinde joining hands with the BJP. After the 2019 Maharashtra polls, the Shiv Sena, then led by Uddhav Thackeray, had severed its ties with the BJP and joined hands with the NCP and the Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

10. Samajwadi Party (SP)

The Samajwadi Party, led by former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, is the main opposition party in Uttar Pradesh, a state which sends the maximum members to Lok Sabha. It currently has three Lok Sabha and three Rajya Sabha MPs.

11. Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD)

The RLD, which primarily derives its support from western Uttar Pradesh, is led by Jayant Chaudhary, the son of party founder Ajit Singh and grandson of former prime minister Charan Singh. Jayant Chaudhary is the party's sole MP (Rajya Sabha).

12. Apna Dal (Kamerawadi)

It is the Apna Dal faction led by party founder Sonelal Patel's wife Krishna Patel and daughter Pallavi Patel. The Kamerawadi faction is aligned with the Samajwadi Party, while the Apna Dal (Sonelal) led by Union minister Anupriya Patel is part of the BJP-led NDA.

13. Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC)

Led by former chief minister Farooq Abdullah is among the key forces in Jammu and Kashmir. It currently has three Lok Sabha members.

14. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

Another key player in Jammu and Kashmir, PDP is led by former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. It currently does not have any representation in Lok Sabha.

15. Communist Party of India (Marxist)

The CPI(M), the principal party in the Left bloc, leads the LDF government in Kerala. It also has some influence in a few other states, including West Bengal, Tripura and Tamil Nadu. It has eight MPs (three in Lok Sabha and five in Rajya Sabha).

16. Communist Party of India (CPI)

The CPI is part of the ruling LDF in Kerala. It has two Lok Sabha members and two Rajya Sabha members.

17. Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation

The CPI-ML (Liberation) is part of the ruling coalition in Bihar. Headed by Dipankar Bhattacharya, the party has 12 MLAs in the state.

18. Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP)

A part of the Left bloc, RSP has one Lok Sabha member, from Kerala. It has some support base in a few other states, including West Bengal and Tripura.

19. All India Forward Bloc

Founded by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the party is now a smaller constituent of the Left bloc. It currently does not have any representation in Parliament or any state assembly. The party does have some support in states once dominated by Left parties.

20. Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK)

The MDMK, led by Rajya Sabha MP Vaiko, is a part of the DMK-led coalition in Tamil Nadu. It has a support base in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

21. Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK)

Led by Thol. Thirumaavalavan, VCK is part of the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu. Thirumaavalavan is its Lok Sabha MP.

22. Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK)

The KMDK, led by businessman-turned-politician E R Eswaran, is part of the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu. It enjoys some support in western Tamil Nadu. The party has a member in Lok Sabha – A K P Chinraj – but he won on the DMK symbol.

23. Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK)

The MMK is led by M H Jawahirullah and is part of the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu. Jawahirullah is currently an MLA and also serves as a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).

24. Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)

The IUML, which is mainly based in Kerala, has been a long-time ally of the Congress. It has three members in Lok Sabha and one in Rajya Sabha.

25. Kerala Congress (M)

The party, based in Kerala, has one Lok Sabha and one Rajya Sabha members. It contested the 2021 assembly polls in the state as part of the CPI(M)-led LDF.

26. Kerala Congress (Joseph)

Based in Kerala, the party it was part of the Congress-led UDF, which is the main challenger to the CPI(M)-led LDF in the Kerala in the last Assembly polls.

Here is a list of 26 parties that are challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi's NDA alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls:

-Indian National Congress

-All India Trinamool Congress (TMC)

-Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)

-Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)

- Janata Dal (United)

-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)

-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)

-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) – Sharad Pawar Group

-Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction)

-Samajwadi Party (SP)

-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD)

-Apna Dal (Kamerawadi)

-Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC)

-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

-Communist Party of India (Marxist)

-Communist Party of India (CPI)

-Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation

-Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP)

- All India Forward Bloc

-Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK)

-Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK)

-Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK)

-Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK)

-Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)

-Kerala Congress (M)

-Kerala Congress (Joseph)

On the Day-2 of the Opposition meeting in Bengaluru, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge stated that the party is not interested in power or the post of Prime Minister. The meeting has been organised to "protect our Constitution, Democracy, Secularism and Social Justice".

Taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress Party President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said, "We are 26 parties here. Together, we are in government in 11 states today. The BJP did not get 303 seats by itself. It used the votes of its allies and came to power and then discarded them. Today, the BJP President and their leaders are running from state to state to patch up with their old allies".

As many as 26 like-minded political parties have gathered at the Taj West End Hotel in Bengaluru with one aim to defeat the BJP in the 2024 election.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge during the second day of the joint opposition meeting in Bengaluru said, "We are aware that at the state level, there are differences between some of us. These differences are not ideological. These differences are not so big that we cannot put them behind us for the sake of the common man & middle class, for youth, the poor, the Dalit, the adivasis and the minorities whose rights are being crushed silently behind the scenes".

In a scathing attack on the opposition parties who are holding a meeting in Bengaluru, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said people see it as a gathering of the “corrupt” and alleged that these parties provide cover to each other when “their corruption is exposed”.

"People of the country say that this is a 'Kattar bhrashtachar sammelan'...Another speciality of this meeting is that if someone is out on bail in a corruption of crores of Rupees, they are seen with great respect. If the entire family is out on bail, they are more honoured...If someone insults a community and is punished by the court, he is honoured," he said.

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy has accused the Congress government in Karnataka of introducing “IAS bonded labour policy" in the State by deputing 30 IAS officers to "serve" its alliance leaders, meeting in the city to strategise for the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

The former Chief Minister said IAS officers are symbols of State’s ability and efficiency, and deputing these officials as "door keepers" to serve politicians is in clear violation of All India Services (Conduct ) Rules.

A crucial meet of 26 opposition parties begins. The meeting will finalise the name of the alliance and firm up plans to take on BJP in the Lok Sabha election 2024.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar and CPI General Secretary D Raja have also reached at Taj West End hotel for the second day of the joint Opposition meeting in Bengaluru.

Pawar could not come yesterday due to the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

Tamil Nadu CM and DMK chief MK Stalin and party MP TR Baalu arrived for the joint Opposition meeting on Tuesday.

Opposition unity was seen at Bengaluru's Taj West End Hotel on the second day of the joint-Opposition meeting. West Bengal CM and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, along with party MP Ram Gopal Yadav were seen at the venue to chalk out a strategy to defeat PM Modi-led NDA government in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Jharkhand CM and JMM executive president Hemant Soren hugged Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar after he arrived at the Taj West End Hotel in Bengaluru for the crucial opposition meeting.

Opposition meet update: UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi have reached at hotel Taj West End, Bengaluru for the Day-2 meeting of opposition parties.

RJD patriarch Lalu Yadav, Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav and MP Manoj Jha arrived on an e-rickshaw for the second day of a joint Opposition meeting in Bengaluru. Yadav said, "We have to give farewell to Narendra Modi".

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, JD(U) National President Rajeev Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, and Bihar minister-party leader Sanjay Kumar Jha arrived for the second day of a joint Opposition meeting in Bengaluru, Karnataka on Tuesday.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, AAP MPs Raghav Chadha and Sanjay Singh have arrived for the second day of joint Opposition meeting in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

As per the sources, UPA is likely to be renamed in today's meeting of the joint Opposition. Four new names for United Progressive Alliance (UPA) have been sent to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and there is a possibility that the final name will be announced today.

In Bengaluru, 26 like-minded parties will gather for the second day of their joint opposition meeting with a common aim of taking on the Bharatiya Janata Party in the next year's Lok Sabha polls.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, on the other hand, will be holding a meeting of 38 parties of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Delhi.

Congress Sonia Gandhi is likely to be named as the President of the Front and Nitish Kumar the Convenor amid the crucial meeting of the opposition meeting in Bengaluru.

For the second day meeting of the opposition parties, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge arrived at Taj West End in Bengaluru.

A rare moment was seen at the Opposition meeting in Bengaluru wherein Congress leader and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah greeted AAP MP, Raghav Chadha.

As Chadha climbed up the stairs at the meeting venue, he was greeted by Siddaramaiah.

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal offered a smile to Chadha and an animated handshake. Then Karnataka Deputy CM Shivakumar shook hands with Chadha with a beaming smile.

BJP leader Dilip Ghosh at mega opposition meeting in Bengaluru said, "It is good that the corrupt are on one side and the ones with development are on the other side".

On Day 2 of the Opposition unity meeting in Bengaluru, the discussion will be held on giving anti-BJP grouping a name, structure, and a common agenda.

The opposition leaders will begin work on a common minimum programme and announce a joint agitational plan, besides holding discussions on issuing a joint declaration and moving forward on their proposal of putting up common opposition candidates in a majority of the Lok Sabha seats.

Ahead of the opposition meeting, in-charge of NCP's New Delhi central office, Sonia Doohan said that NCP chief Sharad Pawar will join the meeting late because Sharad Pawar had some work yesterday.

Opposition meet: The second day of the joint Opposition meeting in Bengaluru is set to begin on Tuesday. Leaders of 26 like minded parties are participating in the meeting, that will be crucial to chalk out the plan for 2024 elections.

Opposition meet: Ahead of the the meeting of opposition, police personnel removed the banners and posters from Bengaluru's Chalukya Circle. These posters were targeting Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, and were put up at different locations across Bengaluru ahead of the second day of the joint Opposition meeting.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar left his residence in Mumbai on Tuesday. He will participate in the joint opposition meeting in Bengaluru on today.

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Monday said that something more “substantive” will be done in the opposition meeting being held in Karnataka’s Bengaluru.

Abdullah reached Bengaluru to attend the two-day meeting of Opposition parties.

“This is only the second meeting. Obviously, I hope that something more substantive will be done in this meeting because the last meeting was just the beginning. We wanted to see how many parties are attending, and what their individual points of view are. This is the second in the series of meetings, we need to have something more substantive,” he said while talking to the reporters.

With a call for unity, top leaders of 26 opposition parties began crucial deliberations on Monday to chalk out their joint programme aimed at defeating the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee, who were seated next to each other, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, chief ministers M K Stalin, Nitish Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren and RJD chief Lalu Prasad were among those who attended the dinner meeting where discussions were held to finalise the agenda for the formal talks starting Tuesday morning.

Sources said NCP chief Sharad Pawar was the only leader among the invitees not present at the meeting at Taj West End Hotel and he would arrive on Tuesday along with his daughter Supriya Sule.

"It was a good meeting," Mamata Banerjee later said.

Opposition dinner meeting begins in Bengaluru- MK Stalin, Arvind Kejriwal, Nitish Kumar, Hemant Soren, Bhagwant Mann and Lalu Prasad Yadav among those present

NC leader Omar Abdullah arrives in Bengaluru for the joint Opposition meeting.

"This is the second meeting. I hope something more substantial will be done in this meeting, as the earlier meeting which was held in Patna was just the normal one," he says.

The agenda for the meeting of Opposition parties in Bengaluru includes the setting up of a sub-committee for drafting the common minimum program and communication points for the alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and also to discuss the process for decision on seat sharing on a state to state basis. During the meeting, it will also be discussed setting up a committee for chalking out a joint programme of parties including rallies and agitations. Suggestions will also be taken on naming the alliance during the Opposition meeting in Bengaluru.

“All these subjects are a matter of debate…We will soon take a decision on it that whether a new name should come up or not…Other parties outside UPA have also attended this meeting...We are working on it”: KC Venugopal, Rajya Sabha Member & Senior Congress Leader on UPA’s future in India

"...There is UPA and there is NDA...All the Opposition parties are coming together...," says Karnataka CM and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav says, "...2/3rd of the population is going to defeat BJP. I hope that the people of the country will give BJP a massive defeat...I am receiving inputs from all corners of the country that the BJP will be wiped out..."