'Gas cylinder rates cut thanks to pressure of third I.N.D.I.A. conclave'

Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday said the Narendra Modi government's decision to reduce the price of LPG cylinders by Rs 200 was due to "pressure" from opposition alliance INDIA.

Reaching Mumbai with his father and Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad Yadav to take part in the third meeting of INDIA, he tweeted: "INDIA is a pride of people, INDIA is a life of people. The Narendra Modi government which has been looting the country for the last 9 years are scared due to the popularity of INDIA and issues of public interest and hence it has slightly reduced the price of LPG cylinder..."

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday sang a similar tune as he claimed the BJP government at the Centre was forced to reduce prices of domestic cooking gas cylinders thanks to the INDIA conclaves, the third of which will be held here from 31 August-1 September.

Raut said that after the national Opposition bloc meetings in Patna and Bengaluru, the BJP was compelled to slash the rates of gas cylinders, with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee sharing a similar view.

The MP added that “Mumbai has been immersed in the INDIA mood” over the last few days for the conclave hosted by Shiv Sena (UBT), to be attended by at least 28 parties over the next two days.

Reiterating the Congress stand, the party's Maharashtra unit president Nana Patole on Wednesday said China has captured Indian territories in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, and the Opposition will now protect the country from foreign aggression.

“As the INDIA alliance grows stronger and marches ahead, China will retreat from Indian territories… INDIA will protect and secure India,” Patole told media persons in Mumbai ahead of the two-day national Opposition bloc meeting.

Former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan said as many as 11 CMs and 63 leaders from 28 opposition parties will take part in the Mumbai conclave, up from 26 parties at the second INDIA conclave in Bengaluru in July.

Prominent parties which have confirmed participation in the conclave include 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.

Other parties include Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, MDMK, Apna Dal, CPI, CPI(M), 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.