Logo of opposition 'INDIA' bloc likely to be unveiled during Mumbai meet

The logo of opposition INDIA alliance is likely to be unveiled during the front's meeting in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1, sources said on Sunday.

Approximately 80 leaders from more than 26 political parties are expected to attend the third meeting of the INDIA alliance in the country's financial capital, they said.

At present, 26 parties are part of the grouping and a few more are set to join the alliance during the two-day meeting, the sources added.

The logo of INDIA alliance may be unveiled on September 1 before the beginning of the day-long deliberations, according to them.

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, known by its abbreviation INDIA, is an opposition front announced by the leaders of 26 parties to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to challenge the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). This opposition bloc's first meeting was held in Patna in June and the second in Bengaluru last month. The leaders of the INDIA front, including chief ministers of five states, as well as former Congress president Sonia Gandhi are expected to arrive in the metropolis before 6 pm on August 31, the sources said. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray will host dinner for the visiting dignitaries at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in suburban Mumbai on August 31. The next day, the meeting will take place at the same venue followed by a press conference, they said. Lunch will be hosted for the opposition leaders by the Congress party's state and Mumbai units, they added. According to the sources, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi may visit the state Congress headquarters Tilak Bhavan in central Mumbai after the meeting on September 1. Naseem Khan, who is a working president of the Maharashtra Congress, said all the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders, including Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray and Ashok Chavan are engaged in micro-level planning to ensure that the meeting is a success. "The visitors will be accorded a traditional welcome on their arrival at the hotel. All leaders have been holding regular meetings as part of the preparations," he said.

The meeting held on Sunday was attended by Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut, Congress leaders Varsha Gaikwad, Milind Deora and Naseem Khan, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders Narendra Verma, among others.