INDIA bloc meeting on Dec 19; seat sharing on agenda

The next meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc will take place on December 19 during which the seat sharing and common minimum programme would be taken up for discussion.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said: "The fourth meeting of the leaders of INDIA parties will be held on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, in New Delhi at 3 p.m." Meanwhile, a Congress source here said that the INDIA bloc floor leader dinner meeting took place recently.

The source said that in the next meeting of the INDIA bloc seat sharing, common minimum programme will be taken up for discussion.

The INDIA bloc floor leaders had met on Wednesday at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, which was also attended by former party chief Rahul Gandhi and leaders of 17 parties.

Meanwhile, while commenting on DMK MP S Senthilkumar's 'controversial' statement, the source said: "The Congress protested over the statement made in the house, we were on verge of issuing a statement."

He also said that during Udaynidhi Stalin's statement on 'Sanatan Dharma', he said it was communicated to DMK that we are against caste inequality and we need to fight inequality.

"We are also in a coalition, coalition dharma does not mean you take account or confront your allies," the source said. Even after Senthilkumar's controversial statement, Congress made its displeasure to DMK, and within few hours clarification were made.