Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A.) is a big tent multi party political alliance of several political parties in India led by the country's largest opposition party, the Indian National Congress. The alliance is in opposition to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Indian general elections. In the 2024 general election, the alliance won 234 seats, gaining more than 100 seats from dissolution, and the majority of seats in states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal. The BJP lost its sole majority, with the alliance forcing Modi to govern with his coalition, the NDA.

Etymology
The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, commonly known by its backronym I.N.D.I.A. is an opposition front announced by the leaders of 28 parties to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The name was proposed during a meeting in Bengaluru and was unanimously adopted by the 28 participating parties. While some sources attribute the suggestion of the name to Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Indian National Congress (INC), others mention that it was suggested by Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and chief minister of West Bengal.

History
On September 25th 2022, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo Om Prakash Chautala hosted a rally in Fatehabad on the occasion of Former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal's birth anniversary. During this rally, the ideas of a national alliance were first openly called on stage. Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar had said "I'll urge all parties, including Congress, to get together and then they (BJP) will lost badly". JD(U) spokesperson K. C. Tyagi had also stated that the foundation of the alliance was during this same rally.

The first major Opposition parties' meeting, held in Patna, Bihar, was chaired by Nitish Kumar on 23 June 2023, when the proposal for a new alliance was put on the table. The meeting was attended by 16 Opposition parties. INLD was not included in this meeting.

The second meeting, was held in Bengaluru, Karnataka on 17–18 July. It was chaired by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi when the proposal for an alliance was accepted and ten more parties were added to the list. The alliance's name was finalized and given the name Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.

The third meeting was held in Mumbai, Maharashtra from 31 August to 1 September. The meeting was hosted by Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray and saw Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and chief ministers of 5 states in attendance. Over the two-day deliberations, the alliance discussed major electoral issues for the upcoming general elections, carved out the coordination committee, and passed a three-point resolution to fight 2024 Indian general elections together 'as far as possible'.

The fourth meeting was held in New Delhi on 19 December. The meeting was primarily held to discuss seat-sharing, joint rallies, and the prime ministerial face and/or convenor of the alliance. The alliance adopted a resolution to ensure maximum use of VVPATs in upcoming elections. "To enhance confidence in elections, VVPAT slips should be directly given to voters to self-verify and place in a separate box, instead of them falling into the main box. Eventually, all VVPAT slips must be 100% counted, ensuring truly free and fair elections," read the resolution passed by the alliance at the meeting. Seat sharing was also to be done by either 31 December 2023 or mid-January 2024. It was also decided that protests will be held across the country on 22 December 2023 against the suspensions of opposition MPs in the Indian Parliament. Some leaders said that the alliance would hold a grand joint rally at Patna on 30 January 2024, the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, although this was not officially announced.

The alliance held its 5th meeting virtually with some leaders not attending. Following the meeting, the Indian National Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was declared the alliance chairperson. Members also had discussions about seat sharing. Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, was offered the post of national convenor of the alliance which he declined. Kumar went on to join the National Democratic Alliance in the 2024 Bihar political crisis two weeks later.

Campaign
The bloc held its first event together on 22 December 2023, when nationwide protests were launched against the suspensions of opposition MPs in the Indian Parliament. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, NCP President Sharad Pawar, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury and other leaders held protests against the suspensions of MPs under the banner "Save Democracy" at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.

The bloc's first joint rally was held in Patna, Bihar on 3 March 2024. The rally saw, among others, Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, and senior Left leaders Sitaram Yechury and D. Raja. Kharge attacked Kumar for frequently changing alliances and criticised the BJP for not fulfilling its promise of jobs and neglecting the country's poor and the majority.

Member parties
The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance comprises a diverse range of political parties from across India. The 37 member parties of the alliance are:

Party-wise strength
The following is the party-wise strength of I.N.D.I.A. parties in the Parliament of India:

2024 general elections

 * List of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance candidates for the 2024 Indian general election

Ideology and objectives
According to the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the alliance's ideology revolves around the principles of developmentalism, inclusivity, and social justice. By combining their efforts, the member parties aim to protect democratic values, promote welfare and progress, and counter what they perceive as an ideology that threatens the idea of India. It was formed with the objective of defeating the incumbent BJP led NDA in the 2024 Indian general election.

Resolution
The alliance passed a three-point resolution in its Mumbai meeting on 1 September 2023 to collectively contest 2024 Indian General elections.


 * We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections together as far as possible. Seat-sharing arrangements in different states will be initiated immediately and concluded at the earliest in a collaborative spirit of give-and-take.
 * We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to organize public rallies at the earliest in different parts of the country on issues of public concern and importance.
 * We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to coordinate our respective communications and media strategies and campaigns with the theme Judega BHARAT, Jeetega INDIA in different languages.

Assam
AAP declared candidates for three Lok Sabha seats in Assam after claiming they were tired of negotiations with Congress for seat sharing.

Delhi
The AAP is likely to fight on 4 seats whereas the Congress may get 3 seats in Delhi.

Punjab
The Congress and AAP declared that they will contest separately in Punjab, in what AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal described as a "mutual agreement" with "no bad blood" between the parties.

Uttar Pradesh
On 21 February 2024, in a joint press conference, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party announced that the Congress will fight in 17 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, leaving the rest for other alliance members. There were also reported to be talks between the Congress and the SP for seat-sharing in Madhya Pradesh, in which the SP may be offered to contest the Khajuraho seat.

West Bengal
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on 24 January 2024 that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party would run alone in the state's forthcoming general elections. Other members of the alliance will contest as part of there Secular Democratic Alliance.

Exits
On 28 January 2024, Nitish Kumar resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar and decided to leave the Mahagathbandhan alliance, a part of the INDIA bloc in Bihar, by expressing dissatisfaction with the functioning of the government. He rejoined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The Rashtriya Lok Dal left the bloc to join the BJP-led NDA on 14 January 2024.