‘INDIA’: How Rahul and Mamata came up with name of Oppn alliance
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi came up with the idea to call the grouping “INDIA” and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee proposed the name I.N.D.I.A
Bengaluru Congress leader Rahul Gandhi came up with the idea to call the grouping of Opposition parties “INDIA” and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee proposed the name I.N.D.I.A (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) at the meeting in Bengaluru on Tuesday but it took another hour before the final decision could be taken, two senior leaders familiar with the proceedings at the meeting said.
The two of them said the acronym was discussed among a small group of leaders at the dinner on Monday. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, CPIM general secretary Sitaram Yechury and NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar were among the few leaders who were part of the consultation process.
The wider discussions over the name took place during the meeting, in which many leaders suggested their own preference.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar tried to demonstrate how the NDA government’s policies have led to higher unemployment and price rise. He also cautioned that using the word “Democratic” to represent D in INDIA might confuse people as the BJP’s NDA also has the same word. While a number of leaders insisted on putting Democracy in INDIA, a few Congress strategists suggested using the word Developmental.
VCK leader Tholkappiyan Thirumavalavan tweeted that he had suggested “the alliance may be called as SAVE INDIA ALLIANCE or SECULAR INDIA ALLIANCE.” Similarly, MDMK leader Vaiko suggested “Indian People’s Front” as the possible name.
Another leader said that after Banerjee suggested INDIA, there was a discussion for about an hour as some leaders had other ideas. “About a dozen suggestions were made. Save India, People’s alliance, Progressive India were some of the name that came up. After Banerjee’s proposal, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar suggested ‘Indian Main Front’ and CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury wanted ‘We for India’ as the name,” the leader said.
A witty leader from Kerala quipped that “The discussion on the name INDIA almost became a discovery of India!”
The original suggestion seems to have been to have the term democratic in the name (Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance), but Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar pointed out that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance has the term in its name, and that this could cause confusion.
It was then decided to insert the term developmental in the name.
Rahul Gandhi, who liked the name INDIA and told his aides it is a good name on Tuesday morning, took the microphone and told the others present what INDIA as an acronym stands for.
“Just five minutes before the meeting ended, the name of the alliance was approved by everyone,” said another leader present at the meeting.
Hours after the Opposition announced their alliance, the BJP projected “BJP for Bharat” as the better alternative for voters. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted, “Our civilisational conflict is pivoted around India and Bharat.The British named our country as India. We must strive to free ourselves from colonial legacies. Our forefathers fought for Bharat, and we will continue to work for Bharat. BJP for BHARAT.”
