Mamata Banerjee, in a significant development, has put forth Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as the Prime Ministerial candidate for the Opposition's INDIA bloc, as revealed by Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) chief Vaiko. Adding weight to the proposition, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has also expressed support for Kharge's candidature.
In response to inquiries on the matter, Kharge conveyed a pragmatic stance, stating, "Let's focus on winning first; we can deliberate on the selection of a Prime Ministerial face later," according to reliable sources.
This development unfolded after the fourth meeting of the INDIA bloc, during which opposition leaders engaged in discussions encompassing a range of topics, such as seat allocation, the formulation of a joint campaign strategy, and devising tactics to confront the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
It is noteworthy that the originally scheduled INDIA bloc meeting on December 6 had to be postponed due to the unavailability of key leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, MK Stalin, and Arvind Kejriwal, who cited scheduling conflicts.
The context of the fourth meeting is further heightened by the suspension of 141 Members of Parliament from various Opposition parties during a single session, marking a record, owing to their participation in protests and vocal demonstrations concerning the Lok Sabha security breach that occurred on December 13.
