As the Opposition alliance INDIA on Friday announced the set up a 14-member coordination committee to spearhead the initiative to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2024 general elections, the BJP also didn't leave any opportunity to criticise the unified opposition force.
During the meeting, the INDIA bloc also resolved to contest the 2024 general elections together "as far as possible".
How did BJP react: Who said what?
Launching a sarcastic attack on the Opposition parties' mega meeting in Mumbai which took place today, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said, "Ye INDIA alliance 'anda' alliance ban jayega"
Union Minister Bhagwat Karad says, "INDIA alliance has different parties coming together...I don't think it will stay for long."
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Karad also added, "A meeting of our 'mahayuti' was held today. It was chaired by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and other BJP leaders and NCP leaders along with Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. A promise has been made that the elections here will have candidates from 'mahayuti'. All 48 seats have to be contested on, won and stand with PM Modi strongly."
Pointing out the drawbacks of the INDIA alliance meeting, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad during a press conference in Delhi said, "In the third meeting of the so-called alliance, there was no vision for the development of India, no roadmap for the upliftment of the poor, no strategy to address concerns of farmers or women and children. The most important is that there was not even an acknowledgement of the threat to India from terrorism, radicalisation and successionist forces...Their only recurrent theme is to abuse Shri Narendra Modi ji..."
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What did the INDIA alliance leaders say?
Speaking at the press conference after the INDIA alliance's meeting in Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray said three resolutions have been adopted by the bloc.
He said, "Today, INDIA parties have taken three resolutions. First resolution: We, the INDIA parties, herby resolve to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections together as far as possible. Seat sharing arrangements in different states will be initiated immediately and concluded at the earliest in a collaborative spirit of give and take. Second resolution: We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to organise public rallies at the earliest in different parts of the country on issues of public concern and importance. The third resolution: We the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to cordinate our respective communications and media strategies and campaigns on the theme of 'Judega Bharat, Jeetega INDIA'."
Exuding confidence on the Opposition alliance, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray asserted that the INDIA bloc is getting stronger every passing day. Moreover, he claimed that the opposition unity is also creating panic among our rivals:
INDIA parties have resolved to fight against corruption, we won't allow 'mitra-parivarvad', Thackeray later added.
In the press meet, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge asserted, "We all have common goal to fight against inflation, unemployment."
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