INDIA parties to meet today in Delhi: Seat sharing, joint campaign plan on the table

Several constituents of the Opposition alliance feel seat sharing is the central issue and want the alliance to show urgency in finalising the formula for it

Sources said preliminary discussion on identifying the mechanism for seat sharing is expected to take place. A joint campaign plan is also on the table, according to them. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)

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The coordination and election strategy committee of the INDIA alliance, set up at the Opposition bloc’s conclave in Mumbai a fortnight ago, will meet for the first time Wednesday at Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar’s residence in New Delhi and seat sharing remains the elephant in the room. Sources said preliminary discussion on identifying the mechanism for seat sharing is expected to take place. A joint campaign plan is also on the table, according to them.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee, who has been called by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning on Wednesday, is likely to skip the meeting. The TMC has decided not to send any representative to the meeting either. The ED is probing the “money laundering angle” in alleged irregularities in the appointment of school staff in government schools in West Bengal. The central agency is also investigating a cattle smuggling case and the alleged coal pilferage scam.

The TMC is hoping that INDIA leaders will take note of Abhishek’s absence at the high table and speak out against the summons issued to him, reaffirming the Opposition alliances’s joint statement in Bengaluru that had spoken about the “brazen misuse of agencies by the BJP government against political rivals”. This, they claimed, was “undermining democracy”.

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While the coordination committee will discuss the joint rally plan proposed by the alliance’s campaign committee, leaders of several parties — among them the TMC, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Samajwadi Party (SP), and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) — feel seat sharing is the “central issue” and want the alliance to show urgency in finalising the formula based on which it can be decided.

“We are discussing campaigns, social media and media strategy and all. All that comes once the product is ready. For that, seat sharing has to be completed quickly,” said a senior Opposition leader.

The meeting at Pawar’s residence is set to be attended by K C Venugopal (Congress), T R Baalu (DMK), Hemant Soren (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena – Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Raghav Chaddha (AAP), Javed Ali Khan (SP), Lallan Singh (JD-U), D Raja (CPI), Omar Abdullah (National Conference), and Mehbooba Mufti (Peoples Democratic Party).

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Sources said on a joint campaign plan the proposal is to start with organising at least five rallies across the country. The campaign committee has proposed that joint rallies should be held in Chennai, Guwahati, Delhi, Patna, and Nagpur. The idea, one leader said, was to get the top leaders to focus on one issue at each rally. The campaign committee has also proposed joint rallies in states where Assembly elections are scheduled later this year and Uttar Pradesh.

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“So the idea is to focus on one issue at each rally. The Patna rally could focus on caste census and social justice. In Chennai, we can talk about attacks on the federal structure (the DMK has always been very vocal on the issue). In Guwahati, the idea is to focus on the Northeast, including the situation in Manipur. In Nagpur, the leaders can talk about secularism and politics of hatred and polarisation. In Delhi, the major talking points can be the management of the economy, joblessness, and price rise,” a leader said when asked about the proposal put forth by the campaign committee.

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The meeting comes against the backdrop of the Sanatan Dharma controversy triggered by DMK leader Udayanidhi Stalin. Most of the Opposition parties are upset with Udhayanidhi’s comments as they believe it unnecessarily gave the BJP the ammunition to attack the alliance and paint it as anti-Hindu. Sources said some of the parties could convey their views at the meeting.

The Congress has already distanced itself from Stalin’s remarks saying it is not in agreement with his comments. West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee has also expressed her disapproval. Asked about the Sanatan Dharma controversy, senior TMC leader Derek O’Brien said there were 28 parties in the alliance and all of them cannot be expected to be photocopies of each other.