It is learned that name was originally the idea of former Congress President Rahul Gandhi. According to sources, on the evening of July 17, at the dinner hosted by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for the opposition leaders attending the conclave, Rahul told a senior party leader that he was keen on the name INDIA. Still, he wanted West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to consider it first.

For Rahul to route the name through Mamata was an extremely interesting move and also significant. The Congress state unit is up in arms against the Trinamool in West Bengal, especially with regard to the violence that took place during the recent panachayat elections. Mamata and Rahul have not had a particularly cordial relationship in the past. However, during the opposition meeting in Patna, Mamata helped calm down matters when the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party got into an altercationover the Centre’s ordinance on Delhi’s bureaucracy. This gesture was appreciated by Rahul. Mamata suggesting the name was also perhaps intended to convey the impression that the leaders were to rise over differences.

Mamata was agree able to the INDIA acronym. At the meeting, after the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s opening remarks, Mamata suggested the name INDIA for the alliance, and the floor was thrown over for discussion. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was not completely convinced about the appropriateness of the name. Sources said he was of the view that it was not an apt name for a political alliance. Nitish is learnt to have suggested the name Indian Main Front.

The left leaders then pitched in, saying that they too had a name in mind. While they said INDIA was alright, it would be better if it was called, We for India or V for India. The other partiesdisagreed, saying it sounded more like slogan than a name of a group of political parties.

At this juncture, Peoples Democratic party President Mehbooba Moofti, gladdened the hearts of Congress leaders in the meeting with her suggestion. As per sources, she said that since the Bharat Jodo Yatra was a huge success, the alliance could be called Bharat Jodo Alliance. On expectedlines, the other parties did not agree.National Conference leader Omar Abdullah is learnt to have told the meeting that the name should in Indian.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, according to sources, said the name of alliance was not such a big issue. He said the main issue is that of seat sharing and suggested that talks for seat sharing should begin at the earliest.

At this, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is learnt to have said that if name is not so important, why can’t the alliance simply be called United Progressive Alliance-3. This suggestion, however, did not favour with other leaders.

Nationalist Congress Party President, Sharad Pawar, conveyed another opposition leader’s suggestion for a name to former Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who in all probability was aware of Rahul’s idea, said she would prefer to let the other leaders decide.

Ultimately, Rahul spoke on the issue and supported the name INDIA. He said it was a great idea which Mamata had suggested. He said it was apt since it carried in it the essence of the purpose for which the opposition parties were coming together. He said that if the fight was to safeguard the idea of India, the name conveyed it adequately. He also said he was confident that it would lend itself well toleadto slogans such as ‘INDIA’ vs NDA. In the end, every participant came on board and acceptedthe name INDIA to challenge BJP led NDA. (IPA Service)