Most parties that are part of the opposition Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) are skipping the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. This appears to be a bold move considering the perceived sensitivity of the issue to India’s Hindus, who comprise over 80 percent of India’s population. Prime Minister Narendra … Read more
Advertisement India’s 28-party opposition front, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance or INDIA, passed its first electoral test last week, with some key victories in assembly by-polls. Of the seven constituencies in six states that voted on September 5, constituents of the INDIA bloc bagged four. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance … Read more
Advertisement It was expected to be a turbulent Monsoon session of India’s Parliament, coming in the wake of the ongoing horrific ethnic violence in the northeastern state of Manipur, which erupted on May 3, and has sent shockwaves through the country. However, the extent to which the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was … Read more
Advertisement On July 18, in a meeting chaired by United Progress Alliance (UPA) chair Sonia Gandhi, 26 political parties formally accepted a proposal to form an alliance to contest the 2024 parliamentary elections together. The alliance formation had been in the pipeline for a while, as 16 parties had come together to discuss the possibility … Read more
Advertisement Parliamentary elections in India are almost eight months away. The Narendra Modi-led ruling party has already started setting the narrative for India’s 2024 general election. Prime Minister Modi has indirectly insinuated that INDIA, a newly-formed alliance of the 26 opposition political parties is akin to terrorist organizations like the Indian Mujahideen. This is his … Read more
Advertisement India’s popular but polarizing prime minister, Narendra Modi, has a fondness for abbreviations that create buzz around his government schemes and dress down his rivals. Last week, Modi’s political opponents did exactly that. They announced a new alliance — called INDIA — to unseat Modi and defeat his ruling party’s electoral juggernaut. The acronym, … Read more
Advertisement “NDA, BJP can you challenge INDIA?” Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of the eastern Indian state of West Bengal asked at a press conference after, a new opposition alliance that named itself INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) at a joint meeting in Bengaluru on July 18. Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) is a key constituent … Read more
Advertisement It took nine years for India’s divided opposition to come together on a common platform to challenge the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s electoral juggernaut in the 2024 general elections. Last week, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar played host to 17 opposition parties in Patna, where participating leaders decided to set aside ideological … Read more