INDIA leaders' meet deferred as unrest grows among allies

QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT THE I.N.D.I.A BLOC'S FUTURE AFTER THE CONG'S LOSSES IN THREE NORTHERN STATES

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The Congress's plan to hurriedly call a meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) collapsed on Tuesday after at least three non-Congress chief ministers and a former chief minister refused to join the December 6 event at a time when questions are being raised about the future of the grouping.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad later told reporters that the meeting will be held on December 17, an announcement that came against the backdrop of the Congress suffering an electoral drubbing in three heartland states on Sunday and disquiet among INDIA bloc allies over stalled seat-sharing talks. Later in the day, the Congress announced that a coordination meeting of parliamentary party leaders of the 28-party grouping will be held instead on Wednesday.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren, and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee told the Congress that they wouldn't be able to attend the meeting, said people aware of developments. Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav also said he would be missing the December 6 meeting, but was likely to depute another party leader for the event.

"The meeting will be held on December 17 and all leaders will attend the meeting," Lalu said.

"A coordination meeting of parliamentary party leaders of INDIA alliance will be held at 6pm on December 6th, 2023 at the residence of Congress President Sh. Mallikarjun Kharge. Thereafter meeting of Party Presidents/Heads of the India Alliance will be scheduled in third week of December at a date convenient to all," tweeted Gurdeep Sappal, a member of the INDIA coordination committee.