Countering the oft-repeated allegation that the parties in INDIA — the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance — are propelled by their own selfish interests, Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale said the differences are like Hyderabad biryani versus Kolkata biryani versus Lucknow biryani — a ‘healthy rivalry’. “Several states have seen conflicts over language where migrants from other states have faced criticism over not learning the local language. Yes — within our country, we Indians all have differences and disgreement on some issues,” the Trinamool MP tweeted.
“But when INDIA is threatened, we all leave aside our differences & get united. Our Armed Forces don’t differentiate on who comes from what state when they all fight to defend INDIA,” the Trinamool leader said.
“I’ve been repeatedly asked on news channels as to how various parties will overcome their alleged differences & come together,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.
INDIA versus NDA
A day after UPA was rechristened as INDIA and 26 opposition parties vowed to fight the NDA together, the slogan of INDIA alliance was revealed. Jeetega Bharat (India will win) and its translations in regional languages.
The first meeting of INDIA will be held on Thursday to brainstorm a joint strategy for the monsoon session of Parliament. Before the rechristening of the UPA at the Bengaluru meeting, the first meeting of the opposition was held in Patna. The 26 parties have a combined strength of about 150 seats in Lok Sabha, as against over 330 of the NDA, and are in power individually or in alliance in Delhi and 10 states.
The 26 opposition parties are –the Congress, TMC, DMK, AAP, JD(U), RJD, JMM, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Shiv Sena (UBT), SP, NC, PDP, CPI(M), CPI, RLD, MDMK, Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK), VCK, RSP, CPI-ML (Liberation), Forward Bloc, IUML, Kerala Congress (Joseph), Kerala Congress (Mani), Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), and the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK).
