Leaders of Opposition bloc INDIA began arriving in Mumbai on Thursday to cement their understanding for a strategy against the Narendra Modi Government in the 2024 general elections and convey their unity of purpose despite regional differences.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav are among the top leaders attending the alliance meeting, along with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

Although the INDIA leaders will hold their formal discussions on Friday, the arrival of leaders of several parties showed the political grouping is all set to assert the strength of their alliance.

The third meeting of the INDIA leaders, after their initial gatherings at Patna and Bengaluru, is expected to unveil the logo of the alliance. A difficult issue before the alliance is to work out a seat-sharing formula.

Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal said the third conclave of the Opposition bloc, Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), had begun with informal discussions in the evening to chalk out the agenda of the meeting on Friday.

Among the stalwarts attending the Mumbai meeting is Nationalist Congress President (NCP) president Sharad Pawar who expressed confidence the 26-party alliance will be able to present an alternative to the BJP-led NDA alliance.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Anil Desai said two more Maharashtra-based regional parties were joining the Opposition bloc. He said “Two more regional parties in Maharashtra will join INDIA, taking the total number of parties in the alliance from 26 to 28.”

Ahead of the third meeting of the INDIA bloc, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) national president Jayant Chaudhary said like-minded opposition parties will work together to take the country forward.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti, who also arrived in Mumbai on Thursday for the two-day huddle, said, “Judega Bharat, Jeetega INDIA (Bharat will unite, INDIA will win),” flashing a victory sign as she left the airport.

The first meeting of the alliance was held in Patna in June while the second meeting was held in the Congress-ruled state of Karnataka in mid-July. The third meeting is being organised by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the Opposition alliance in Maharashtra comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Sharad Pawar.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav along with his son and Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav offered prayers at Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple in Mumbai. Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is also joining the alliance meeting.