INDIA Bloc's First Coordination Panel Meet To Decide On Seat-Sharing, Campaign Strategy Today

The INDIA bloc's Coordination Committee will be holding its first meeting on Wednesday seat-sharing and evolving a broad outlay of campaign strategy on the alliance's agenda, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The meeting of the 14 member all-important panel of the opposition will take place at the Delhi residence of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar later during the day. 

Sources familiar with the matter said that several opposition party leaders have sought an early seat-sharing formula to be drawn to ensure that a joint candidate is put up from the bloc's side against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates in Lok Sabha seats. 

However, several leaders have agreed that the opposition parties have to "shed their egos" and "vested interests" to arrive at such a formula. The seat-sharing formula is likely to be based on the poll performance of parties in the recent elections, eventhough no decision has been taken in this regard.

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The issue of seat sharing will be addressed in the committees meeting, even if it is not finalised. It was also known that the leaders will focus on a broad outlay of the election campaign for taking on the BJP, news agency PTI reported citing sources. 

India Alliance meeting in Mumbai. (Photo credit: ANI)

Aam Aadmi Party leader and a member of the INDIA bloc's committee Raghav Chadha said that the panel will hold discussions on an array of issues including reaching out to people, planning joint rallies, and working out door-to-door campaigns, which will be different for each state.

"Every political party will have to sacrifice three things to make this alliance successful - ambition (mahatvakanksha), a difference of opinion (matbhed) and manbhed," Chadha said.

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The coordination cum election strategy committee of the opposition's INDIA bloc has 14 members - K C Venugopal (Congress), T R Baalu (DMK), Hemant Soren (JMM), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena-UBT), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Raghav Chadha (AAP), Javed Ali Khan (SP), Lalan Singh (JDU), D Raja (CPI), Omar Abdullah (National Conference), Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), Abhishek Banerjee (TMC), and a member from the CPIM.