Made in ‘INDIA’: How Oppn Alliance Finalised the Name at Bengaluru Meet | Of Punchlines & Suggestions

The official announcement of the new name for the alliance of the Congress-led Opposition parties for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections — Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) – in Bengaluru on Tuesday had chief ministers delivering punchlines and using the acronym in almost excessive wordplay, pointing at the different perspectives in the group that will take on the Bharatiya Janata Party- led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

‘CATCH US IF YOU CAN’, ‘HUM HAIN NA’

West Bengal chief minister Mamta Banerjee, who sources say was the first to suggest the acronym, had the first punchline to deliver. “‘NDA, can you challenge India? BJP, can you challenge India? The other people, can you challenge India? We love our motherland. We are the patriotic people of this country. We are here for you, we are for farmers, Hindus, Muslims Christian Sikhs, Dalits, we are for the country and the world…Catch us if you can!" said Banerjee, as she expressed the objectives of the Opposition team.

Her Delhi counterpart, Arvind Kejriwal, who was the next to speak, also had a message. He started his speech by attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his nine years of governance, in which Kejriwal underlined how “despite the opportunity to do much for the people of the country, not one sector has done well".

“He has destroyed the economy and the railways, he has sold our airports out, he has sold our ships…," Kejriwal said, while pointing out the failures of the Modi government and why INDIA needs to contest the 2024 elections.

Uddhav Thackeray, former chief minister of Maharashtra, decided to take a page out of Bollywood and the famous line from actor Shah Rukh Khan starrer ‘Main Hoon Na’ to send a message of assurance on why the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) extended its support to INDIA. He said that they are fighting for an India that belongs to the people of this country. Stating that questions are being asked about how parties with different thought processes and ideologies can come together on one platform, Thackeray said, “That is what democracy is all about. Some people think this is a fight for a family. Is it not true? For us, India is our family and we are fighting for this family which we need to save…Just like there was a fight for our freedom, this is also a fight. Like the famous movie Main Hoon Na, I would like to say Hum Hain Na!" Thackeray said, with a chuckle.

HOW THEY ZEROED IN ON THE NAME

There was a lot of debate on the name of the alliance, which now has the support of 26 parties from across the country. While it was said that the name INDIA was first suggested by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the term was seconded by M K Stalin, Tamil Nadu chief minister and chief of the Dravida Munetra Kazhagam, a few tweaks were made. The first expansion of the acronym INDIA was suggested as Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance, but later, on the recommendation of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the word democratic was changed to developmental.

Other suggestions, too, were made. Former CM of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah shared his view that the letter N could be dropped as the word national was not required. By just calling it Indian Democratic Inclusive Alliance (IDIA), people would get the idea behind the new name.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar suggested the name Indian Main Front or IMF, while Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Vaiko had suggested the name ‘Indian Peoples Alliance’ to give a more personalised touch with the electorate.

Another Tamil Nadu-based political party, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s founder Thol Thirumavalavan, who also attended the meeting in Bengaluru, had two suggestions — Save India Alliance or Secular India Alliance.

The name ‘We for India’ was suggested by CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, while CPI’s D Raja had a suggestion that was close to VCK’s — ‘Save Democracy Alliance’ or just plain ‘Save India.’

During the media address, Rahul Gandhi stressed that not only is the new name apt for the new platform of Opposition parties, but also a reflection of “how the idea of India is being attacked by the BJP, the wealth of India is being snatched from the people and handed over to a few businessmen, who are close to the Prime Minister and the BJP".

“Our fight is not between two political formations, but to fight for the idea of India…historically and globally, nobody has been able to defeat India and the idea of India. This is a fight between the idea of India and the idea of the BJP. This is a fight between India and the BJP. It is a fight between India and Mr Narendra Modi," said Rahul Gandhi.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, when asked who will be the face of the alliance, one who could be called the prime ministerial face, replied saying that a coordination committee consisting of 11 members is being formed.

“At our meeting in Mumbai, we will decide who the 11 members will be, who will be the convener, etc. These are small things," he said, adding that their primary focus is to chalk out a plan to save the country and the people of the country. “This is the real issue before us."