Shiv Sena (UBT), a key constituent, on Saturday openly questioned the Congress' commitment to the coalition and demanded a clear roadmap ahead, especially with crucial state elections approaching in Bihar, West Bengal, and Gujarat.
New Delhi:Signs of discontent are emerging within the I.N.D.I.A. bloc as allies grow restless over the lack of post-election coordination and clarity on the alliance’s direction. Shiv Sena (UBT), a key constituent, on Saturday openly questioned the Congress' commitment to the coalition and demanded a clear roadmap ahead, especially with crucial state elections approaching in Bihar, West Bengal, and Gujarat.
In a sharp editorial published in its mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena (UBT) criticised the Congress for focusing solely on itself during its recent meeting in Ahmedabad, without addressing the I.N.D.I.A. bloc’s strategy or future. “Questions are being raised about where the I.N.D.I.A. bloc stands after the Lok Sabha election. The Congress needed to address this in its Ahmedabad session,” the editorial said.
“What happened to the alliance? Did it get buried in the ground or vanish into thin air? The responsibility to answer this question lies with the Congress president,” it stated, pressing the Congress to reveal its position on upcoming state polls and warning against another electoral defeat.
The editorial also emphasized that while the Congress performed well in Maharashtra during the general elections, it faced a setback in the state assembly polls. It attributed the losses to both internal Congress issues and alleged scams linked to the BJP. It urged the party to introspect and strengthen efforts in states like Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
Shiv Sena (UBT) further called on the Congress to take the lead in combating what it termed as the rise of dictatorship. Criticising the party's approach in Delhi, the editorial noted that both Congress and AAP failed in the recent assembly elections and cautioned against infighting. “We have to defeat the BJP and not our friends,” it added.
Tensions within the alliance have also surfaced elsewhere. The absence of the Trinamool Congress and AAP from a recent joint I.N.D.I.A. bloc press conference against the Data Protection Act in Delhi raised eyebrows. Meanwhile, the Congress and the Left remain locked in fierce competition in Kerala, while in Punjab, the Congress and AAP continue to clash, prioritising local dominance over bloc unity.
