New Delhi:

I-N-D-I-A — the Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance – is what the united opposition front will be known as, the 26 parties participating at the crucial meet in Bengaluru have decided, setting a “Modi versus INDIA” battle for the 2024 general elections. “Chak de India,” read a gleeful tweet from Trinamool Congress’s Derek O’Brien.

The name was arrived at after much deliberation on Day 2 of the mega meeting. Left parties wanted the word ‘Alliance’ to be changed to ‘Front’ while some parties were not too keen on ‘NDA’ in the name. sources said.

Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray pushed for a name that would not have any mention of opposition.

It was Rahul Gandhi who came up with the name finally, tweeted Jitendra Ahwad of the Nationalist Congress Party. “His creativity was greatly appreciated,” his tweet read.

बंगळुरू येथे सुरू असणाऱ्या विरोधी पक्षांच्या बैठकीत,या आघाडीचं नाव INDIA ठेवण्याचा प्रस्ताव @RahulGandhi यांनी मांडला.त्यांच्या या कल्पकतेच प्रचंड कौतुक.सर्व पक्षांनी याला अनुमोदन देत आगामी लोकसभा निवडणूक INDIA या नावाखाली लढवण्याचा निर्णय घेतला आहे.

I – Indian
N -…

— Dr.Jitendra Awhad (@Awhadspeaks) July 18, 2023

The Day One of the meeting yesterday was informal, with discussions followed by a dinner. Today’s closed-door meeting started around 11, and is expected to continue till 4 pm.

Besides Mrs Gandhi, the opposition meet is being attended by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Chief Ministers MK Stalin, Nitish Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal, Hemant Soren, Mamata Banerjee, and RJD Chief Lalu Prasad.

NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) leader HD Kumaraswamy did not attend the first day of the opposition meeting. Although Mr Pawar arrived in Bengaluru today, it is unclear whether Mr Kumaraswamy will attend the meeting or not. “All parties having the will and guts to fight the BJP are welcome,” said Congress leader Pawan Khera.

“Like-minded opposition parties shall closely work together to foster an agenda of social justice, inclusive development and national welfare. We want to free the people of India from the autocratic and anti-people politics of hate, division, economic inequality and loot… United We Stand, for this India,” Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted yesterday.

The opposition meeting in Bengaluru coincides with the NDA meeting in Delhi, where the BJP, eying a grand show of strength, has announced a mega meet of its own involving 38 parties.