West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, along with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, proposed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s name as the prime ministerial candidate of the Opposition bloc INDIA, as stated by MDMK leader Vaiko after the meeting in the national capital. This meeting coincided with the day when a large number of Opposition Parliamentarians were suspended for the remaining days of the Winter Session.

However, Kharge emphasised that it is crucial to secure a victory first, and all other decisions can follow. Sources indicated that the allies stressed the need for the seat-sharing formula for the Lok Sabha 2024 to be in place by December 31.

Present at the meeting were CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his Deputy Tejaswi Yadav, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, former Union Minister Lalu Prasad, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, and the Left party leaders. Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray was also in attendance.

Sources have revealed that the leaders engaged in discussions on a joint campaign, seat-sharing arrangements, and the reconsideration of their strategy following the recent setback for the grand old party in the Assembly polls. The BJP emerged victorious in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, although it achieved success in Telangana, marking the second southern state after Karnataka in its accomplishments.

The meeting took place amid intermittent challenges among crucial allies such as the Samajwadi Party, TMC, and AAP, with their leaders expressing discontent in public. Following the Tuesday meeting, Vaiko stated that Kharge’s name was proposed by Banerjee and Kejriwal. However, other leaders maintained that no final decision was reached on the issue during the meeting.

After the Congress president’s name was proposed as a candidate for the country’s first Dalit prime minister in a meeting attended by 28 Opposition leaders, Kharge commented, “I work for the downtrodden. Let us win first, then we will see. I don’t seek anything.”

He added, “First, we have to win and secure a majority, and then MPs will decide democratically,” while briefing the media on whether he could be the PM candidate for the Opposition alliance.

Upon her arrival in the national capital on Monday, Banerjee informed the media that any decision on the prime ministerial candidate for the alliance would be made after the election.

“When so many political parties come together, it is a democracy, with different states, diverse views, and varying opinions, but ultimately, INDIA is a platform where we are fighting together,” said Banerjee.

Kharge stated that INDIA bloc parties will focus on seat-sharing talks at the state level and hold public meetings across the country, emphasising that any decision on the prime ministerial candidate will be made after the elections.

Sources have indicated that INDIA bloc parties have decided to finalise seat-sharing by the second week of January. Addressing the press conference after a meeting of top leaders of the INDIA bloc, Kharge said, “All INDIA parties unanimously decided on how to take the alliance forward. At least 8-10 meetings will be conducted together across the country.”

“If alliance members don’t come on the same stage, people will not be aware of the alliance. Everyone agreed to this,” he said. The Congress president mentioned that seat-sharing talks will be held at the state level, and if any issues arise, the INDIA bloc leadership will address them.

“Whether in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Bihar, UP, Delhi, or Punjab, the issues on seat sharing will be resolved,” he said.

Kharge also mentioned that INDIA parties passed a resolution condemning the suspension of Opposition MPs in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and will hold a protest on December 22. This was the fourth meeting of the INDIA bloc leaders.

The alliance had its first meeting in Patna on June 23, the second meeting in Bengaluru on July 17 and 18, and the third in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1.