Fouth meeting of INDIA bloc begins

New Delhi, Dec 19 (IANS) The fourth crucial meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) began on Tuesday here to discuss the seat sharing and common minimum programme.

At least over 60 leaders from 28 political parties arrived here at the Ashoka Hotel for the meeting.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leaders Rahul Gandhi, K.C. Venugopal, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal along with his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Singh Mann and party leader Raghav Chadha, Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar, JD-U president Rajiv Ranjan aka Lalan Singh, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, his son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Sanjay Raut, DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav were also present.

According to sources, during the meeting, seat sharing, common minimum programme and election campaign strategy will be discussed.

The first meeting of INDIA took place in Bihar's Patna on June 23 while the second meeting of the opposition parties took place in Karnataka's Bengaluru on July 17 and 18.

Third meeting of the INDIA alliance in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1 this year, when the 14 member coordination committee and 19 member election election strategy committee were announced.

About 28 parties have come together to take on BJP at the centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.