Cong vs the rest? Fissures in INDIA bloc play out in public

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posted on 1 week ago — updated on 1 second ago

As the AAP and Congress traded barbs, other INDIA bloc members took sides, at least for the upcoming elections in Delhi.

Cong vs the rest? Fissures in INDIA bloc play out in public

Cong vs the rest? Fissures in INDIA bloc play out in public ByHT Correspondent Jan 09, 2025 03:58 PM IST Share Via Copy Link As the AAP and Congress traded barbs, other INDIA bloc members took sides, at least for the upcoming elections in Delhi.

Fissures in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) over the upcoming Delhi assembly elections came under the public glare on Wednesday as senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), prompting a sharp response from former CM Arvind Kejriwal and two key allies to back the Capital’s ruling party.

AICC in-charge of Delhi Qazi Nizamuddin, Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot and others during a press conference at the party office on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

In the morning, senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot called AAP an “opponent” and accused the INDIA bloc ally of overestimating its electoral prospects.

“They (the AAP) are our opposition. They are harbouring a misconception since they won twice (in Delhi). The situation in Delhi has changed now. Congress is doing a better campaign and this time, the results will be different,” Gehlot told ANI.

Hours later, AAP chief and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the Congress of tacitly collaborating with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – the INDIA bloc’s primary rival in the 2024 general elections.

“Gehlot ji, you made it clear that the Congress sees the AAP as the opposition in Delhi. You remained silent on the BJP. People also felt that the AAP is the opposition for the Congress and the BJP is its partner. People also believed that the BJP and the Congress are fighting the elections together against the AAP. So far, this cooperation between you two was a secret. Today, you have made it public. Thank you, on behalf of the people of Delhi, for this clarification,” Kejriwal posted on X.

Gehlot dismissed the allegation as baseless, asserting that Congress aligning with the BJP was “impossible.”

“He very well knows it [Congress aligning with the BJP] is impossible... I want to tell Kejriwal that politics will go on but the ₹25 lakh health cover scheme introduced today provides universal coverage. The central government should analyse the schemes which were introduced in Rajasthan,” Gehlot said.

As the AAP and Congress traded barbs, other INDIA bloc members took sides, at least for the upcoming elections in Delhi.

The TMC declared its support for AAP in Delhi. “TMC has announced support to AAP in Delhi elections. I am personally grateful to Mamta Didi. Thank you Didi. U have always supported and blessed us in our good and bad times,” Kejriwal tweeted.

Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien reposted former Delhi CM’s tweet and said, “We have your back @AamAadmiParty.”

The TMC’s move followed a similar gesture from Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who backed the AAP on Tuesday.

Kejriwal expressed his gratitude to the SP chief as well. “You always support and stand with us. I and the people of Delhi are grateful for this,” he said on X.

Other allies such as the Shiv Sena (UBT) took a more cautious stance.

While Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai voiced support for the AAP, senior leader Anand Dubey remained noncommittal.

“Give us some time, we will decide whom to support in the Delhi assembly elections. Being a part of the INDIA alliance, the AAP and the Congress are both important to us... Our battle is against the evil policies of the BJP...Right now, it will be very early to say whom we will support… Soon our leader Uddhav Thackeray will announce,” Dubey said on Wednesday.

In Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav downplayed the discord, stating that the INDIA bloc was primarily formed to contest the Lok Sabha elections.

“It is not unusual. In the Lok Sabha elections the main motto was to defeat the BJP in the elections and the alliance of INDIA bloc was limited to that motto. In such a situation, it is not unnatural for the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party to be contesting against each other,” he said.

He added that the RJD remained with the Congress in Bihar, which will see elections later this year. “In Bihar, we already have an alliance with the Congress,” he said.

The developments came amid simmering tensions within the INDIA bloc, after some reports of rift during the Parliament session and unhappiness expressed by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

The Congress and AAP had forged a seat-sharing agreement for Delhi, Haryana, and Gujarat during the Lok Sabha elections as part of a broader strategy.

Four months later, the two parties failed to reach a pact in the Haryana assembly elections and an over-confident Congress fought alone, only to lose the polls.

A senior Opposition leader maintained that supporting “stronger” members of the alliance during state elections is a conscious strategy that was crafted during the formative days of the INDIA bloc by Banerjee, Yadav and Kejriwal. However, it was something that the Congress had objected to.

“This plan had been discussed at length during the INDIA bloc meetings, but the Congress never accepted such a plan. As a result, it has rejected TMC’s proposal to fight together against the BJP and opted for a seat pact with the Left in West Bengal,” the leader cited above said.

Within Congress, the leadership has remained largely silent on the INDIA bloc’s prospects.

However, one party functionary admitted that following defeats in Haryana and Maharashtra, managing the alliance would be a significant challenge. “The bloc’s success depends on mutual trust, but the current divisions don’t bode well for the future,” the functionary added.

kanan
Official Verified Account

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