In a strategic move during the crucial I.N.D.I.A bloc meeting, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has put forth the name of Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge as a candidate for the Prime Ministerial post. This proposal gained additional backing from Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal.
The Opposition bloc's meeting addressed various key issues, including seat-sharing, campaign strategies, and devising a unified approach against the BJP in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Banerjee's suggestion regarding Kharge's candidature reportedly received favorable responses from alliance members.
However, Mallikarjun Kharge, responding to the proposal, emphasized that the primary focus should be on winning the upcoming elections. He stated that discussions about the Prime Ministerial candidate could follow after securing a majority in the Lok Sabha.
Kharge stated, "Our priority is to win first. Who becomes the PM can be discussed later. If MPs are not there, what is the use of talking about the PM? We should first try to fight unitedly and bring a majority."
During the meeting, MDMK MP Vaiko expressed that there was no opposition to the suggestion of Mallikarjun Kharge as the Prime Ministerial face of the I.N.D.I.A alliance.
Thol. Thirumavalavan, the leader of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), provided further insight into the discussions. He mentioned, "(West Bengal CM) Mamata Banerjee proposed that we (INDIA alliance) should project (Congress president) Mallikarjun Kharge as our PM candidate. However, Kharge rejected her point, saying there is no point in announcing a coordinator or our PM face. He said that we should decide about it only after the polls."
With the 2024 elections approaching and the opposition group grappling with time constraints, the alliance aims to consolidate its election narrative to effectively challenge the BJP led by Prime Minister Modi. The I.N.D.I.A bloc's meeting marks a pivotal step in strategizing and coordinating efforts to present a united front in the upcoming electoral battle.
