Delhi Debacle: INDIA Bloc Leaders Stress On Unity, Congress Says AAP Ruled Out Tie-Up In Capital
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Fending off criticism, the Congress asserted that the INDIA bloc was formed for general elections 2024 and state-specific alliances were the way forward in the assembly polls.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal | File Image/ANI
Amid claims that the AAP-Congress bickering benefited the BJP in Delhi, unity and cohesiveness were the watchwords from many INDIA bloc leaders on Monday even as the Congress said that the blame on it was misplaced since AAP had ruled out an alliance in the assembly polls.
Fending off criticism, the Congress also asserted that the INDIA bloc was formed for general elections 2024 and state-specific alliances were the way forward in the assembly polls.
Responding to those criticising the Congress for playing spoilsport for AAP in Delhi, Congress MP and whip in the Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore said alliance partners are putting the queries to the wrong person as they should direct them to the one who “broke the alliance” in Delhi, an apparent reference to AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal.
“One thing is very clear – the INDIA alliance was created for the general elections 2024. In different states, different strategy was evolved (in those polls also). Aam Aadmi Party and Congress had an alliance in Delhi but not in Punjab. We had an alliance in Gujarat but not in other places. They were supporting us in Goa,” he said.
“In assembly elections, Arvind Kejriwal ji announced on December 1 that they are fighting alone. We hope that our alliance partners will also understand that they are asking the wrong person, they should ask the question to the person who broke the alliance,” Tagore told reporters outside Parliament.
He asserted that the INDIA bloc was formed particularly for the general elections 2024. “Its main idea was to channelise the anti-Modi, anti-BJP anti-RSS forces at one level, that has been done. After that, coordination in Parliament has been happening at the floor level,” he said.
“The speech of the leader of the opposition (Rahul Gandhi) had talked about an INDIA bloc vision as an alternative vision, it was not just a vision of the Congress. So we are positive towards it (INDIA bloc), but we know how one alliance partner’s reaction can spoil it,” he said.
“State elections are going to be different. State elections are going to be fought on state-level alliances. In Parliament, we are coordinating and our LoP calls it an INDIA bloc vision,” Tagore said.
In Parliament, “the SP, TMC, AAP, everybody is together in the fight against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah”, the Congress MP from Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar said.
“INDIA bloc was formed like that — we had an alliance in Delhi but not in Punjab. The Congress has an alliance with CPI(M) in Tamil Nadu but not in Kerala,” he said.
Asked about Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ram Gopal Yadav’s criticism and some sections calling the Congress arrogant, Tagore said, “We are humble and polite that is why they are speaking and we are keeping mum.” Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said the INDIA bloc parties need to come together to decide the way forward to throw a challenge to the BJP, and fighting each other is not going to help.
Chaturvedi said the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) needs to get its act together.
“I think the INDIA bloc needs to put its act together, its head together and realise that our personal political ambitions are overriding the interests of India,” she told PTI inside the Parliament complex.
“We need safeguards in our democracy, Constitution — that is why the INDIA alliance came together. In case we are going against that entire concept, ensuring that everyone gets defeated, and are busy defeating each other, it does not serve the purpose we came together for,” Chaturvedi said.
“Let us be honest, have a conversation, put our heads together and ensure that we put up a spirited fight against the BJP,” she said.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) claimed on Monday that the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress, both INDIA bloc members, fighting each other contributed to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s victory in the Delhi assembly polls.
An editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ also raised questions over the need for opposition alliances if their constituents continue to fight against each other instead of the BJP.
“In Delhi, both AAP and Congress fought to destroy each other, making things easier for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. If this continues, why even form alliances? Just fight to your heart’s content!” the editorial in ‘Saamana’ quipped.
A similar disunity among opposition parties already led to setbacks in Maharashtra (during the 2024 assembly polls which the BJP-led coalition won), it said.
The Marathi daily claimed that failing to learn from the Delhi poll results would only strengthen, what it termed as, the “autocratic rule” under Modi and Shah.
Meanwhile, Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader S P Singh Baghel took a dig at the INDIA opposition bloc, calling it an opportunist alliance.
“Opportunist alliances formed on the eve of elections always end like this,” he said.
“Chanakya had said if there is a strong king, there will be alliances between his enemies… A similar alliance came ahead of the (2024) Lok Sabha polls. Now, they are going their own ways,” Baghel said.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
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Delhi, India, India