In show of strength on Tuesday, it's Opposition's 26 vs NDA's 38

The Congress on Monday afternoon claimed 26 political parties would attend the Opposition meeting on Tuesday in Bengaluru to discuss a united front against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Hours later, the BJP said as many as 38 parties would attend the meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) here on Tuesday.

Congress leaders in Bengaluru said the 26 Opposition parties have come together not for power but have been “united by a common purpose” to protect democracy, ensure constitutional rights, and maintain the independence of institutions. In the national capital, BJP President J P Nadda, too, claimed the 38-party alliance was not to attain power but serve the people and shape a stronger India.

 

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said while leaders of 15 Opposition parties attended the June 23 meeting in Patna, there would be representations from 26 parties in the Bengaluru meet, highlighting the alliance’s increasing size. The Congress described the meeting as a "game changer" in the current political scenario. It said the Patna meeting unnerved the BJP, forcing it to try putting life back in the NDA that had turned into a “ghost”.

On the other hand, Nadda, addressing the media in the national capital, said any party inspired by PM Narendra Modi's good governance and development agenda was welcome to join the NDA. The BJP chief attributed the increased "scope of the NDA" to Modi's strong leadership and zero tolerance against corruption.

To a question whether the Shiromani Akali Dal could join the NDA, Nadda said the BJP has always treated its former allies well, and it was up to them to reach out. He said the Congress needs to remember that 2023 is the 25th anniversary of the founding of the NDA. Regarding some recent entrants to the NDA, Nadda said the BJP's ultimate objective was pursuing the party's ideology, and its strategy to accomplish that remained dynamic.

Incidentally, 38 political parties have representation -- one or more seats -- in the Lok Sabha. The two fronts together currently comprise a total of 64 parties. Several of these are parties with a presence in states. Om Prakash Rajbhar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) joined the BJP-led NDA on Sunday. It has six legislators in Uttar Pradesh, including Mau legislator Abbas Ansari, son of convicted gangster Mukhtar Ansari.

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien said Opposition parties have set the narrative, and the BJP is reacting and ended up calling a meeting not on any other date but July 18. He said eight NDA parties have zero MPs, nine have one and three have two MPs. Not all of the 26 Opposition parties are represented in Parliament either.

Nadda said Opposition parties are together to ensure there is no action on scams worth Rs 20 trillion their leaders face. He said the country has decided it will bring back Modi in 2024. Nadda also welcomed Lok Janshakti Party's Chirag Paswan to the NDA fold.

In Bengaluru, Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal said the government has been misusing central probe agencies to silence the opposition, and destabilising the Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra is an example. He said Rahul Gandhi was disqualified to stop him from asking questions. Venugopal said some leaders will reach Bengaluru on Tuesday in a bid to dispel speculation that key leaders, such as Sharad Pawar, may skip the meeting. The Congress said the name of the alliance is yet to be decided.

According to both BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) leaders, the two parties are currently in talks to pave the way for the latter to join the NDA.

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi, YSR Congress Party, and Biju Janata Dal are some of the bigger parties that are in neither camp yet.