Some parties that attended BJP-led NDA meet are in touch with INDIA bloc: Congress

Congress spokesperson Alok Sharma on Sunday claimed four to five parties among the 38 that had attended the meeting of BJP-led NDA are in touch with the INDIA alliance and some of them will join the opposition bloc in the coming days. He also said some very important decisions will be taken at the upcoming meeting of the INDIA group, scheduled to be held in Mumbai on September 1.

"At least 4 to 5 political parties which were among the 38 parties that attended the NDA meeting addressed by PM Modi are in touch with the INDIA alliance. Some of them are expected to join the opposition bloc very soon while some before (2024) elections," Sharma told a press conference here. The meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was held in Delhi last month and was attended by at least 38 parties.

Sharma avoided direct reply to a query on whether Congress will lead the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra. "Considering the current situation in the country, it is not important who will lead but what is important is how we all together, as a cementing force, can remove this arrogant government," he said.

Anyone can lead in various states and regions but the Congress will work as a cementing force in all states to unite all in the country. "The year 2024 belongs to INDIA," the national spokesperson said. "I want to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he will order an inquiry by the CBI and the ED into recent CAG reports and the corruption that has come to the fore in NHAI (National Highway Authority of India), and health and insurance sectors," he said.

Queried on whether Rahul Gandhi will contest from Amethi again in the 2024 elections, Sharma said this Lok Sabha constituency has been traditionally contested by the Gandhi family and local people have family-like relations with them.

"People of Amethi always want someone from the Gandhi family to contest from there. Who will contest from Amethi, that decision will be taken by Rahul Gandhi and his family. There is no official decision on this aspect," he said.

In the 2019 elections, BJP's Smriti Irani defeated sitting MP Rahul Gandhi from the Amethi constituency. "It is certain that Irani would lose even if a block-level president of Congress contests from Amethi," Sharma added.

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