As the third meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is scheduled to take place in Mumbai on August 25 and 26, some leaders of the bloc have raised concerns about Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Supremo Sharad Pawar sharing the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Pune on August 1.
According to a party source, during the meeting of floor leaders of the INDIA bloc on Friday, some members expressed reservations about Pawar being the chief guest at the function where Modi will be honored with the Lokmanya Tilak Award.
There were suggestions during the meeting that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge could communicate with Sharad Pawar and urge him not to attend the function.
Some leaders within the INDIA bloc fear that Pawar sharing the stage with the Prime Minister could create a negative impression, especially when like-minded opposition parties are coming together to challenge the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Additionally, it is believed that Pawar’s presence alongside Modi may dent the image of the INDIA bloc, which has worked hard to build unity, and could send a wrong message to the public. Prime Minister Modi has previously made controversial remarks, comparing INDIA to the East India Company and the terror organization Indian Mujahideen.
It should be noted that Sharad Pawar has been invited as the chief guest of the function, which is organized by the Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust. During the event, Pawar is expected to present the Lokmanya Tilak Award to Modi.
Meanwhile, the third meeting of the INDIA bloc is set to be hosted by Shiv Sena (UBT) and Pawar-led NCP in Mumbai on August 25 and 26.
