As the third meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc gathers momentum in Mumbai, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) national president Jayant Chaudhary said that like-minded opposition parties are joining forces to steer the country towards progress.With representatives from 26 opposition political parties in attendance, the INDIA bloc aims to forge a united front against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.#WATCH | RLD national president Jayant Chaudhary arrives in Mumbai to attend the third meeting of the Opposition bloc, Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)Like-minded opposition parties will work together to take the country forward. INDIA bloc will be… pic.twitter.com/iGB6jHTMj0— ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2023Speaking to the news agency ANI upon his arrival in Mumbai, Chaudhary said, “Like-minded opposition parties will work together to take the country forward. INDIA will expand and more parties will join us in the days ahead.”Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti, also present in Mumbai for the two-day gathering starting on Thursday, expressed optimism, saying, “Judega Bharat, Jeetega INDIA (Bharat will unite, INDIA will win)”, while flashing a victory sign as she left the airport.#WATCH | PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti arrives in Mumbai to attend the third meeting of the Opposition bloc, Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)Judega Bharat, Jeetega INDIA, says Mehbooba Mufti pic.twitter.com/qPA4sp0r5v— ANI (@ANI) August 31, 20232 more parties to join INDIA: Shiv Sena MP ahead of INDIA Mumbai meetingIn parallel developments, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Anil Desai revealed that two additional Maharashtra-based regional parties are set to join the INDIA bloc. “Two more regional parties in Maharashtra will join INDIA, taking the total number of parties in the alliance from 26 to 28,” Desai said.The INDIA leaders are slated to engage in an informal meeting on Thursday, followed by a formal gathering on September 1.The previous INDIA meetings were held in Patna in June and in the Congress-ruled state of Karnataka in mid-July. The third meeting is being hosted by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), an Opposition coalition in Maharashtra comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Sharad Pawar.
