Sharad Pawar signals high-level meet as INDIA bloc moves to curb cracks within

On a day when several members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc met in New Delhi to cement unity and rework their strategy to take on the ruling National Democratic Alliance, Sharad Pawar, the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), said a meeting of key leaders of the opposition bloc would be held soon to iron out differences.

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The veteran’s remarks came amid reports that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has pulled out of the bloc over the Congress’s alleged betrayal by supporting the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to form government in Tamil Nadu recently.

INDIA bloc to request allies

Speaking to reporters in Baramati, Maharashtra, Pawar said the allies of the bloc would be urged not to take any extreme step during Monday’s (June 8) meeting in the national capital. “An appeal will be made that no one should take any extreme step,” he said, indicating that Monday’s meeting was primarily a review meeting.

“In the recent elections, the INDIA bloc partners contested together in some places and separately in others. After the elections, the DMK, one of the constituents of the alliance, has been indicating that it may walk out.

Key leaders to be invited soon: Pawar

“Since such a situation is emerging, we will, in the next eight to 15 days, invite the key leaders (of the grouping) and try to find a solution. I am sure a solution will be found,” he said.

Pawar also said the NCP (SP)’s working president, Supriya Sule, would represent the party at the meeting in the national capital.

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“Based on the outcome of today’s discussions, we will decide the future course of action and how to arrive at a solution,” Pawar said, adding that there are no immediate elections in the near future.

Twenty-three political parties were expected to attend the meeting, where leaders would present a united front to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s surge in the country in the run-up to the next election cycle in states and the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.

DMK, TMC lose power

Besides the DMK in Tamil Nadu, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), another major anti-BJP force in the country, also lost power in West Bengal in the recently held elections.

The meeting of top opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge from the Congress, Mamata Banerjee from the Trinamool Congress, and Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, comes after a while.

(With agency inputs)