Wednesday dealt a triple blow to the Congress party, as three key alliance partners within the INDIA bloc made statements that might jeopardise the unity of the anti-BJP coalition. With the crucial Lok Sabha elections looming just months away, the public airing of differences among opposition parties has dealt a significant setback to their shared goal of challenging the BJP, led by Prime Minister Modi.
Mamata says no alliance with Cong in Bengal
It began when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declined to form an alliance with the Congress for the upcoming parliamentary elections in the eastern state.
Amidst the vigorous exchanges between TMC and state Congress leaders, Mamata Banerjee declared on Thursday that her party would independently contest the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, opting not to form an alliance with the Congress.
“We will go solo in Bengal. We had proposed seat sharing but they had rejected and there after no further talks have happened. No alliance as far as Bengal is concerned," she said.
“What happens with India Alliance will be seen later, after election. We are a secular party and will do everything to defeat BJP," she added.
She also lamented Congress for not showing courtesy to invite or even inform her to the Bengal chapter of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
After a resounding victory over the BJP in the state assembly elections, Mamata Banerjee is reluctant to concede significant ground to the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Conversely, the persistent criticisms from Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have visibly unsettled the TMC chief.
Mann follows the lead
Following Mamata Banerjee's stance, the Aam Aadmi Party has signaled its intention to independently participate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Punjab. Addressing queries from the media, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated, "In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the outcome is projected to be 13-0 in favour of the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab."
Similar to the TMC, the AAP secured a substantial mandate in Punjab, where the Congress served as its primary opposition. Forming an alliance with the main opposition party in the state would be unfavourable optics for the AAP and might jeopardise its future prospects in the Northern state.
Nitish joins the party
After the announcement of Bharat Ratna for Karpoori Thakur, Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has once again expressed gratitude to the Modi government. Additionally, he has raised questions, criticising dynastic politics, about why Karpoori Thakur was not conferred with the Bharat Ratna during the Congress government's tenure.
Significantly, Nitish Kumar's JD(U) is a member of the INDIA bloc, and although the convenorship was extended to him, he declined the offer.
"Karpoori Thakur never promoted his family. Nowadays, people tend to uplift their families. After Karpoori Thakur's demise, we have groomed his son, Ramnath Thakur. Drawing inspiration from Karpooriji, I, too, have refrained from promoting anyone within my family. My focus has always been on uplifting others," Nitish said.
The BJP has been consistently criticising the Congress for its engagement in dynasty politics over the past decade.
Nitish then went on to add, "Well, they did the right thing by awarding Bharat Ratna. It's good that they are saying they did it. I never received a call from the Prime Minister (on Bharat Ratna decision). The Prime Minister called Ramnath Thakur. We express our gratitude to them through the media. We have been requesting for a long time. Congress also remained in power. Others were also there, but Bharat Ratna was not conferred. Now, they have given it, and we are thankful."
Many are hinting at another U-turn by Nitish Kumar, as his statements come just a day after he suddenly met Bihar governor. His meeting had raises eyebrows and sparked speculations whether he would again switch toi NDA. With his mentor Karpoori Thakur being awarded the Bharat Rata, Nitish has a good enough justification to provide to people to join the NDA.
Bad optics for INDIA
As three alliance partners openly express dissatisfaction or reluctance to collaborate with the Congress, the INDIA bloc faced bad optics on Wednesday. With the parliamentary polls merely months away, the alliance has not yet finalised seat-sharing arrangements for various states. The decision of TMC and AAP to go solo in West Bengal and Punjab, coupled with Nitish hinting at another switch, indicates that the INDIA bloc is navigating troubled waters, ill-prepared for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
