Mumbai, Aug 30 (IANS): Reiterating Congress' stand, the party's Maharashtra unit President Nana Patole said on Wednesday that China has captured Indian territories in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, and the Opposition will now protect the country from foreign aggression.

“As the I.N.D.I.A. alliance grows stronger and marches ahead, China will retreat from the Indian territories… I.N.D.I.A. will protect and secure India,” Patole told mediapersons here ahead of the two-day national Opposition bloc meeting on August 31-September 1 scheduled in Mumbai.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said that as many as 11 CMs and 63 leaders of 28 opposition parties will take part in the Mumbai conclave, up from 26 parties which had attended the second I.N.D.I.A. meeting held in Bengaluru in July.

Chavan also slammed the BJP for indulging in the politics of breaking parties and toppling elected state governments, which it did in Madhya Pradesh, Goa, and then even in Maharashtra, adding that the Opposition remains firm and strong, and will not be cowed by such threats.

The prominent parties which have confirmed participation in the I.N.D.I.A. conclave include Shiv Sena (UBT), which is hosting the bloc meeting, Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar), Samajwadi Party, National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Janata Dal (U), Rashtriya Janata Dal, Aam Aadmi Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Trinamool Congress, DMK, and Peasants & Workers Party.

The others parties include Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, MDMK, Apna Dal, CPI, CPI (Marxist), Revolutionary Socialist Party, All India Forward Bloc, Indian Union Muslim League, Kerala Congress (M), KMDK, Kerala Congress (J), VCK and CPI(M-L), according to the organisers.