Mumbai set for third national Oppn INDIA bloc meet on Friday

Mumbai, Aug 31 (IANS) The stage is set for the third National Opposition INDIA Conclave meeting scheduled here on September 1, the organisers said here on Thursday.

As many as 28 opposition parties from all over India -- up from 26 at the last Bengaluru meet in July -- shall attend the deliberations scheduled between 10.30 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Friday.

Nearly 100 leaders from these parties, including 11 Chief Ministers, Presidents or Vice-Presidents and other top functionaries have started arriving here from Wednesday onwards.

Some like West Bengal CM and All India Trinamool Congress President Mamata Banerjee, Rashtriya Janata Dal President Lalu Prasad, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav and others have reached Mumbai in the past two days.

Others, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and more from different parties, are reaching here Thursday afternoon.

Later, Rahul Gandhi will address a media conference with other Congress leaders here.

This evening, (August 31) the INDIA leaders would have an informal meeting before converging for dinner hosted by Shiv Sena (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray at a suburban five-star hotel.

The main conclave shall be held on Friday to chart out the strategies and road-map for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections when INDIA bloc hopes to unseat the Bharatiya Janata Party from power.

The INDIA meet will also unveil the ‘INDIA logo’ which is likely to serve as a common beacon for all the parties to seek votes along with their individual party symbols in the next Lok Sabha polls.

 After the meeting, the Opposition leaders shall attend a luncheon hosted by Maharashtra and Mumbai Congress units and later a select team of leaders will address a joint press conference and provide the highlights of the deliberations.