Patriotic Democratic Alliance ?

New Delhi: The name of the proposed Opposition Front could be “Patriotic Democratic Alliance” (PDA) and a final decision on this would be taken at the next meeting of Opposition parties at Shimla next month, sources said.

Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D Raja made an assertion to this effect while addressing party workers in Patna, the source said. He said the PDA would be given a final shape at the Shimla meeting, where the next level of deliberation of Opposition leaders would take place during July 10-12.

The CPI leader said: “We can say the new alliance could be named Patriotic Democratic Alliance (PDA). We have not taken a final decision on it. We have the primary objective of defeating the NDA and all the opposition parties have a clarity on it.”

Raja also said the Opposition parties coming on board the proposed front have a secular and democratic ideology and the new front’s name would have a reflection of it. “In Tamil Nadu, there is the Secular Democratic Front whereas in Bihar, we have Mahagatbandhan. So, we will have a name which would share our commitments as a combined Opposition,” he added. In 2004, after the general election, the Congress, Left, and other regional parties formed United Progressive Alliance (UPA) to form government at the Centre. In Bihar, the RJD-JD(U), the Congress and the Left aligned together before the 2015 Assembly polls to form Mahagatbandhan. Raja’s announcement is an indication that the exercise of giving a formal shape to the proposed front has already advanced and the Shimla meeting is likely to put a stamp on its structure and various aspects of seat sharing among various constituencies.