Mallikarjun Kharge appoints 9 AICC Secretaries to coordinate "Hai Taiyaar Hum" national-level rally

Mallikarjun Kharge. Pic/PTI

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge appointed 9 AICC Secretaries to coordinate the mobilisation and other arrangements for the "Hai Taiyaar Hum" national-level rally, to be organized in Nagpur on December 28, 2023. The AICC members include P.C. Vishnunadh, MLA, Qazi Nizamuddin, Sanjay Kapoor, Dheeraj Gurjar, Chandan Yadav, B.M. Sandeep, Chetan Chauhan, Pradeep Narwal and Abhishek Dutt.

Meanwhile, the fourth meeting of the Opposition's 'Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc concluded in the national capital on Tuesday with the passing the resolution on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the suspension of MPs from Parliament. The meeting also took place amid escalating political tensions between the Opposition and the BJP-led central government, triggered by the demand for Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement on the recent Parliament security breach.

"INDIA parties reiterate that there are many doubts on the integrity of the functioning of the EVMs. These have been raised by many experts and professionals as well. There is widespread demand for a return to the ballot paper system," the resolution states. It suggested that "Instead of the VVPAT slip falling in the box, it should be handed over to the voter who shall then place it in a separate ballot box after having verified his or her choice. 100 per cent counting of VVPAT slips should then be done.

It further said that this will restore full confidence of the people in free and fair elections. The 28 parties participated in our fourth meeting and kept their thoughts before the committee of the alliance. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that a resolution have been passed that suspension of MPs is undemocratic.

"We have passed a resolution that suspension is undemocratic. We will all have to fight to save democracy and all of us are ready to do that. We raised the issue of security breach in the Parliament. We have been saying for a long time that Union HM Amit Shah or PM Modi should come to the Parliament and speak in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha about the issue of Parliament security breach, but they are refusing to do so," Kharge said.

As the 2024 Lok Sabha elections loom just four months away, the allocation of seats becomes pivotal for the Congress, especially after recent electoral setbacks. Meanwhile, the opposition alliance has not reached a consensus on the bloc's prime ministerial candidate. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge stated that any decision on the prime ministerial candidate would be made after the elections. "First, all of us have to win, we should think about what needs to be done for victory. Who will be PM, this will be decided later. If there are less MPs, what is the point of talking about PM. First, to increase our numbers, (by) coming together, we will try to bring majority. First we will try to win," he said.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said that the campaigning, seat sharing and everything will begin soon "The meeting was good. The campaigning, seat sharing and everything will begin soon. No (convenor hasn't been selected) yet," Kejriwal said. JMM MP Mahua Maji said that the main discussion was regarding seat sharing."The main discussion was regarding seat sharing. Some leaders wanted to have the seat sharing before 1st January. Discussions regarding the face of the Prime Minister were also done. No final decision was taken...Everyone said that PM's face will be decided after winning the elections," Maji said.

On asking if the BSP should also be a part of the INDIA bloc, Party MP Shyam Singh Yadav said that the party should also join the Alliance. "If you ask me, I will say very frankly, very clearly and very unambiguously that my party should also join the INDIA Alliance. This is my personal opinion. But the BSP supremo will do what she thinks, we are bound by her decision... It is my personal opinion that the BSP should be a part of the INDIA Alliance... There is no doubt that if all the parties contest together, we will be able to give a good fight (in Uttar Pradesh)," Yadav asserted.

INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) parties are seeking to put a united challenge against the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.The first meeting of the joint opposition convened in Patna on June 23 and the second meeting was held in Bengaluru on July 17-18. The third meeting happened in Mumbai on August 31-September 1. In the Mumbai meeting, the opposition parties adopted resolutions to collectively contest the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections while announcing that seat-sharing arrangements would be finalized as soon as possible in a spirit of give-and-take.

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