Mumbai, Aug 31 (IANS): Ahead of the third crucial two-day meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) in Mumbai, the CPI and the VCK on Thursday said that the all the like-minded parties have come together with the primary motto of defeating the BJP as the last nine and half years of its rule has proved “disastrous” for the country and the Constitution also need to be saved.

Speaking on the sidelines of the INDIA meeting here, CPI General Secretary D. Raja said, “Actually there was deliberation on this question in the second meeting in Bengaluru. After deliberations and consulting each other the name (INDIA) was approved and declared to the people of the country.”

He said that the situation in the country demands all secular democratic parties, including the Left, should come together and fight together in order to defeat the BJP.

“The primary objective of the alliance is to fight together and defeat BJP to save the country, democracy, constitution, federalism, secularism. These areallconstitutional values which are being debased by the Modi government,” Raja alleged.

Taking a potshot at the BJP government at the Centre, the CPI leader said, “In the past last nine and half years, the BJP has proved to be disastrous and we cannot call it governance, it is misgovernance, misrule and people are passing through unimaginable suffering and ordeals.

“This has to be understood and that is why we are saying that the BJP needs to be removed from power. That is the primary objective of the alliance,” Raja added.

VCK president Thirumavalan said: “First of all we have to defeat the BJP, this is the main motto of the INDIA alliance. All the opposition parties joined together and worked together and then only we can win and defeat BJP. Otherwise BJP will resume power and they will throw away the Constitution in future. So we have to save the Constitution and country, and thus it was inevitable for all the democratic forces and parties to come together in the election.”

He said that all the leaders are discussing the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) and we, VCK party, are also part of this alliance and we will give our suggestions to include in the CMP regarding the marginalised sections, minorities, women, tribals to be protected which is very important for the INDIA alliance.

The remarks of the leaders came ahead of the third crucial meeting of INDIA bloc which will take place in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1.

The first meeting of the like-minded parties was held in Bihar’s Patna on June 23 and the second meeting was held within a span of one month in Karnataka’s Bengaluru, where the name INDIA was decided.

The like-minded parties have come together to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.