Divided Over PM Face, Opposition Plans Big Protest on Dec 22 Over MPs’ Suspension

He said Opposition will hold public meetings across the country, while stressing that any decision on the prime ministerial candidate will be taken after the elections.

INDIA bloc parties have decided to finalise seat sharing by the second week of January, PTI quoting sources said.

During a presser after a meeting of top leaders of the INDIA bloc in Delhi, Kharge said, "All INDIA parties unanimously decided how to take the alliance forward. At least 8-10 meetings will be done together across the country."

"If alliance members don't come on the same stage people will not come to know of the alliance. Everyone agreed to it," he said.

The Congress president said seat-sharing talks will be held at the state level, and if any issues arise, INDIA bloc leadership will address them.

"Whether Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Bihar, UP, Delhi or Punjab, the issues on seat sharing will be resolved," he said.

Asked about the prime ministerial face of the alliance, he said, "We have to win first, and think what to do to win. What is the point in discussing PM before having MPs. We will try to get a majority together".

Kharge also said INDIA parties passed a resolution condemning the suspension of opposition MPs in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and will hold a protest on it on December 22.

Meanwhile, at the meeting, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal proposed Kharge's name as the prime ministerial candidate of opposition bloc INDIA, MDMK chief Vaiko said.

Sources, however, said there was no final decision on the issue.

However, the veteran Congress leader said it is important to win first and everything else can be decided later.

Significantly, while Vaiko said Kharge's name was proposed by Banerjee and Kejriwal, other leaders, on the condition of anonymity, maintained that there was no final decision on the issue during the meeting.

After his name was proposed as a candidate to become the country's first Dalit prime minister at a meeting attended by 28 opposition leaders here, Kharge said, "I work for the downtrodden. Let's win first, then we will see. I don't seek anything."

"First we have to win and get a majority, then MPs will decide democratically," Kharge when asked if he could be the PM candidate for the opposition alliance.

Banerjee after her arrival in the national capital on Monday, had told reporters that any decision on the prime ministerial face of the alliance will be taken after the election.

"When so many political parties are together, it is a democracy, with different states, different views and different opinions, but ultimately INDIA is a platform where we are fighting together," said Banerjee.

"The BJP doesn't have any allies. The NDA is gone. We are not like that. It will be better, after the elections, we have to see the results, and then announce the PM candidate. All parties will decide that," she had said.

"You can decide how a party can do better for the people and motherland. You have to give priority to the people of India. What is going on right now is autocracy, which is not desired by anyone," she said.
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