I.N.D.I.A. adopts joint resolution, announces its campaign slogan, logo

The 28 Opposition parties of the Indian Nationalist Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) announced their shared slogan for the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign today, 1 September.

Their selected motto—Judega BHARAT, Jeetaga INDIA (India will unite/heal, INDIA will win)—will be translated into various regional languages by the campaigning parties as well. The Indian National Congress, for instance, has shared a Hindi version already on social media:

The Shiv Sena (UBT), whose home turf hosts this conference, has shared messages from its leaders and spokespersons:

While the All-India Trinamool Congress was yet to post a Bengali version at the time of writing, its post a day ahead—speaking of 'writing a new tomorrow for INDIA' and moving towards a brighter horizon—already showcased West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in on-brand colours (though, of course, they are also her own brand colours, which seems significantly synergistic):

Also unveiled alongside is what looks to be a new tricolour swirl logo, with suggestions of perhaps a stylised wave (of change and development?) as well as of an embracing but non-contiguous circle (possibly to communicate solidarity, support, inclusion — but sans uniformity or rigidity, plus a certain openness).

The announcement, appearing on various member parties social handles one by one, were accompanied by a joint resolution, reproduced below:

to jointly contest the forthcoming elections to the Lok Sabha

Interestingly, the 'new' slogan has actually been lurking a while, and even been seen in 'action' online over the last week or more, even before the INDIA leaders met:

Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party too has been posting since yesterday with what looks to be the Marathi version of the slogan:

The logo and slogan, then, given the level of preparedness evident on all sides — including a slew of video spots on digital billboards and social media — were clearly selected a while ago and the aligned campaigning has already begun.

It would seem, therefore, that the conversation ahead of the Opposition parties in this conference will focus on points of action on the ground—such as a common national agenda, and possibly the precise seat-sharing arrangements ahead. Perhaps a common campaign promise, even?

Particular and immediate attention will surely be required in the states heading for assembly polls in the months ahead:

• Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram are due for polling in November

• Rajasthan and Telangana go to the polls in December

Meanwhile, what is perhaps interesting, though unsurprising, is that the day much hyped in the press for the unveiling of a logo and a slogan and an agenda from INDIA saw not only a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meet in Mumbai chaired by Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde (incidentally sidelining recent inductee into the government, Ajit Pawar), but also another curious 'new slogan' trending.

This last was the #OneNationOneElection hashtag on X (formerly Twitter) and other social media — because of a Central government announcement of a committee to be headed by former president of India Ram Nath Kovind, purportedly to review the feasibility of this 'innovative' idea of the BJP's. Of course, notwithstanding that the idea has already been reviewed in the past, and not just once, and then summarily dismissed.

It does seem that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had it right when he said the BJP is betraying a certain degree of anxiety around INDIA. Possibly there will be more interesting developments ahead at the special session of Parliament summoned after the G20 summit in Delhi a few days hence.