Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a presser after the opposition parties meeting in Bengaluru on Tuesday, said that the fight is not between BJP and opposition but it is for the country's voice that is being muzzled. About 26 opposition parties took part in the second round of the meeting in Bengaluru during which they agreed to strengthen their pledge of building a united opposition to defeat the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. 

On Tuesday - July 18, during the second day of the second round of the meeting, the opposition parties have unanimously named the opposition alliance 'INDIA' (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance). The second round of the meeting was hosted by the Congress party and while addressing the press conference, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that it's a fight to defend the idea of INDIA. 

He said, "This fight is not between the BJP and opposition. The country's voice is being muzzled, this is the fight for that. That's why we came up with this name - Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance - means INDIA". He further said, "It was a productive meeting today. The fight is against the BJP's ideology, they are attacking the country." 

"We are defending the idea of our great country India. You can look into the history and tell that nobody has been able to defeat the idea of India", he added. The meeting had seen the presence of veteran Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and dozens of Chief Ministers.  

The Chief Ministers who took part in the meeting include Karnataka's Siddaramaiah, Tamil Nadu's MK Stalin, Delhi's Arvind Kejriwal, West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee, Bihar's Nitish Kumar, Punjab's Bhagwant Singh Mann, and Jharkhand's Hemant Soren. While the first meeting, that was held in Patna under the stewardship of Nitish Kumar, lasted for a day, the second meeting had lasted for two days and it has given the prospects of advancing their unity ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. 

While addressing the presser, Mamata Banerjee cited that today's meeting was constructive and fruitful. She said, "You heard of UPA, NDA is still there. But NDA, can you challenge INDIA? BJP, can you challenge INDIA? We love our motherland, we are patriotic." She further said that the only job the BJP regime does today is to buy and sell governments. 

"All focus, all publicity, all campaigning, all programmes will be held under the banner of INDIA. If anybody has a challenge, catch us if you can," she added. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "Today, 26 parties came together in Bengaluru. This was the second meet after Patna where 16 parties were present. It's good that the clan is increasing". "They have ruined the economy, railways in last nine years. Youth, farmers, businessmen, industrialists, everyone is unhappy by this NDA government", Kejriwal slammed the BJP regime. 

Kejriwal further said, "On one hand, we have to save the country from hatred and on the other hand, we all have gathered to build a new India. Today, the discussion was good". During the press conference, the opposition alliance had also announced that INDIA will meet in Mumbai and it will likely be hosted by Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction. 

During their third round of meeting in Mumbai, the opposition alliance will be forming an eleven-member coordination committee. Kharge has also announced that a secretariat will be set up for campaign management in New Delhi. The opposition parties are likely to announce two sub-committees - one for finalising the common minimum programme along with communication points and another to create a blueprint on issues that would be jointly pursued. 

Responding to BJP-led NDA meeting in Delhi that is first-of-its-kind alliance meeting called by the BJP since it came to power in 2014, Congress president Kharge said that PM Modi is now afraid of the opposition parties. He said, "NDA is holding a meeting with 30 parties. I have not heard about so many parties in India. Earlier they didn't hold any meetings but now they are meeting one by one (with NDA parties) PM Modi is now afraid of opposition parties. We have gathered here to save democracy and the Constitution."