Around 63 representatives from 28 political parties to attend  the meet, says Sharad Pawar

MUMBAI (TIP): The first leg of the India National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) coalition’s third meeting kicked off on August 31 with an informal meeting in Mumbai. What may appear to be the largest single gathering of political leaders from many political parties, several leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Lalu Prasad Yadav, MK Stalin, Sitaram Yechury, D Raja, Akhilesh Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav, Mehbooba Mufti, Manoj Jha and Raghav Chadha, arrived in Mumbai on Thursday, August 31. Around 63 representatives from 28 political parties will be attending the meet, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar had said at a press conference earlier.

The multi-party group is expected to take various steps, including deciding on a coordination committee and unveiling a logo on Friday, September 1

“The meeting was good. You will know the details tomorrow,” Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray told reporters. Thackeray hosted a dinner for the leaders after the meeting.

The run-up to the meeting saw the Adani issue take center stage with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi holding a press conference on the premises of the hotel where the INDIA leaders had gathered.

Before the start of the meeting in the evening, Rahul was seen chatting with Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut and NCP’s Supriya Sule and Jayant Patil.

Uddhav Thackeray and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar were also seen sharing light moments ahead of the meeting. Ahead of the crucial third round of discussions, the alliance on Wednesday, August 30,  exuded confidence that it would provide a formidable alternative to the BJP. Sources said three north-eastern parties wished to join the alliance and this too would be discussed at the meeting. Alliance leaders had earlier met in Patna and Bengaluru. At the Mumbai meeting, they are expected to chalk out a common campaign strategy to take on the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Earlier in the day, several leaders of the alliance said they had come together to “save the Constitution and democracy” in the country.