The anticipated deferment comes amidst concerns over NCP chief Sharad Pawar's scheduled tour of Maharashtra and an event where he will share the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, further complicating the coordination efforts within the alliance.
Sources have disclosed that the opposition alliance INDIA is expected to defer its third meeting, originally scheduled to take place in Mumbai, to the first week of September. The decision comes after several key leaders conveyed their unavailability on August 25-26, citing prior engagements. Notably, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, whose party recently witnessed a split, will embark on a tour of Maharashtra from mid-August, making him among the leaders who will be unavailable during the said dates.
A senior leader of the INDIA bloc in Mumbai stated, "August 25-26 is still under consideration, but we are looking at another set of dates to ensure that everyone is available."
The situation was addressed during a press conference held after a meeting of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Friday, where Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole mentioned that the MVA leaders have rallies lined up in August, which were affected by the monsoon, as PTI reported.
The MVA, comprising Congress, NCP, and Shiv Sena (UBT), is scheduled to convene again next Saturday to address coordination challenges and plan future rallies amid the ongoing monsoon season.
While the Congress leads the 26-member opposition alliance's efforts at the national level, it was considered a junior partner in Maharashtra due to its limited numbers in the state assembly until the Shiv Sena and the NCP experienced a split in their ranks. Former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray was projected as the leader of the MVA in the 'Vajramuth' rallies of the coalition before Ajit Pawar's rebellion led to a split in the NCP. Thackeray's party, Shiv Sena, has taken the lead in organizing the Mumbai meeting of the opposition alliance.
Another leader involved in the coordination shared, "The Shiv Sena is coordinating the meeting dates as far as we have been told. We were given to understand that it was August 25-26. Now, we hear that Sharad Pawar is unavailable on those days. These things happen when one has to coordinate with 26 parties, nothing unusual. We faced this issue even when the Patna meeting was being planned."
Furthermore, concerns have arisen among some alliance members regarding Sharad Pawar's scheduled event in Pune on August 1, where he will share the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Some fear that such an association with the Prime Minister may have adverse implications for the opposition coalition.
The INDIA bloc held its first meeting in Patna in June and the second in Bengaluru earlier this month. The alliance aims to align and coordinate their strategies on a national scale, seeking to present a united front against the ruling party.