Setting up an ‘NDA vs INDIA’ battle for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, 26 opposition parties decided to call their alliance the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I-N-D-I-A) after a mega meeting in Bengaluru today. The next meeting of the parties will be held in Mumbai. 

Here’s what some of the key opposition leaders said after the meeting:

• Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader

It’s an honour for me to be here at this meeting. The idea of India is being attacked. The voice of India is being snatched from millions of Indians.

This is a fight for India’s voice and that is why we have chosen this name –  Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (India).  The fight is between NDA and India, between Narendra Modi and India and their ideology and India. We are defending the Indian constitution, the voice of our people and the idea of this great country, the idea of India. We all know who wins when someone takes on the idea of India.

• Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister

Today the meeting was very good, constructive and fruitful. We will call our alliance Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, which is India in English and Bharat in English. 

You’ve heard of the UPA. The NDA is still there, but there is no existence. So, in the coming days, the danger that lives are in – be they of Dalits, minorities, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs or Christians and be it in Manipur, Arunachal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal, Bihar or Maharashtra – this government at the Centre has only one job, buying and selling governments. 

We have taken up a real challenge. NDA, can you challenge India? BJP, can you challenge India? We love our motherland. We are the patriotic people of this country. We are for the country, for youth, for farmers, for good economy, for Dalits, for all. 

Our challenge will be, all focus, all publicity, all campaigning, all programmes, they will be under the banner of INDIA. If anybody has a challenge, catch us if you can. Save India from disaster. Save the people of India. The BJP is making deals to sell the country, to buy democracy. This is why they don’t let independent agencies function. 

India will win, the BJP will lose. Bharat will win, the BJP will lose. INDIA will win, the country will win. 

• Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister

All of us, 26 parties, have gathered in Bengaluru. This was the second meeting, 16 parties had gathered in Patna. It is a good thing that the group is getting bigger. Nine years ago, the people of the country had elected Narendra Modi with a big majority. In these nine years, he had an opportunity and he could have done a lot for the country. 

But, in these nine years, there is not one sector which has seen any growth. They have not left any stone unturned to ruin every sector.