The coordination committee of the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) will have its first meeting on September 13.
On the agenda, among other things, is for the committee to clarify whether this alliance is only for the 2024 Lok Sabha election or will extend to the upcoming Assembly elections in five States as well. The panel also has to decide on a seat-sharing formula among the constituents. Out of the 14 members in the committee, at least two members representing the Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M) will not be attending the meeting.
The meeting will be held at NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar’s residence in Delhi at 4 p.m. on September 13.
Last week, the Aam Aadmi Party announced 10 candidates each for the Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Assembly elections. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress is defending its government and seeking a second term, while in Madhya Pradesh it hopes to replace the 18-year BJP regime. This has muddled the waters for the INDIA bloc. In places such as Punjab and Delhi, where the AAP and the Congress are pitted against each other, it will be particularly tricky for the alliance to come up with a seat-sharing formula.
The AAP’s move comes days after its convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed gratitude to all parties, especially the Congress, for being “super-generous” in the Rajya Sabha during the contentious Delhi Services Bill. The Opposition fell short by 29 votes, but saw it as a psychological victory where the coalition stood united keeping its ranks intact.
According to sources, even the Samajwadi Party wants a clarification on this issue. The SP has had a nominal presence in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly. In the last election, it won one seat and was in second position in six constituencies. In 2003, it had seven legislators. “We have had three meetings so far, but we haven’t yet discussed whether the INDIA understanding extends only to the Lok Sabha election or to the State elections too. This needs to be clarified, so that one can plan accordingly,” a senior Opposition leader said.
At the bloc’s Mumbai summit, the Trinamool Congress, JD(U), AAP and the RJD insisted that the seat-sharing arrangement has to be sealed at the earliest.
“What does earliest mean? We can’t push it for 2024, it has to be done if not by September then by October. While we have understanding that in each State the strongest party will lead the talks, yet we will need a guiding formula, should it be decided on the basis of parties performance in the 2019 election or the last State Assembly election or a balance of both, this will have to be worked out,” another Opposition leader said. For example in Delhi, the AAP has been winning successive Assembly elections; while in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll, the Congress was the runner-up in all seven constituencies.
But there is a clear urgency that this needs to be done without any delay, because many argue that the 2024 election will be about the minutiae. “The Election Commission is in the process of revising the electoral roll. Only when we know which seat is going to who, will the cadres be enthused enough to work on the rolls, which takes both time and money,” a third Opposition leader explained.
The Trinamool Congress, which has the second highest number of parliamentarians among the INDIA parties after the Congress, will not be represented at Wednesday’s meeting, because its nominee Abhishek Banerjee, has been called for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate for the same day. Sources said the Trinamool had decided not send anyone in place of Mr. Banerjee to make a political point.
“The date of the first meeting of the coordination committee was known for a week now, so obviously it gave them [the government] enough time to plot and plan. It is no coincidence that, Mr. Banerjee has been called for questioning on the same day as the meeting,” a senior Trinamool leader said.
The CPI(M) has not yet decided its nominee. When the coordination committee was announced on September 1, the CPI(M) said it will nominate its representative to the panel, but so far it hasn’t. According to sources, the party will take a call on its representative, after its Polit Bureau meeting scheduled later this week. For a party that has always stayed away from electoral alliances, this will be a tough call.
The Trinamool has also not named its nominees for the campaign committee and the three working groups on media, social media and research.
