Congress is a very deceitful party, it will cheat you: Akhilesh at a rally in MP

The consolidation of Opposition parties under the INDIA bloc, rallying behind the Congress, seems to be at its lowest point currently, with one of the major alliance partners, the Samajwadi Party, led by Akhilesh Yadav, urging people not to vote for Congress, labeling it a “chalu” (cheat) party. Yadav’s comments come less than a week after senior JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s criticism of the grand old party for not showing interest in the INDIA bloc, which is now a cause of concern for the roughly 30 Opposition parties that were preparing to challenge the BJP-led Narendra Modi Government in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav continued his series of attacks on the Congress on Sunday, labelling it as a “chalu” (cheat) party. Speaking at a public meeting in the poll-bound Madhya Pradesh on Sunday evening, Yadav asserted that if the party could “cheat” him, it could do the same to the masses.

“Nobody is receiving anything in their ration... So why would you vote for the BJP... Don’t even vote for the Congress... Congress is a very deceitful party... Will you be cautious or not? If Congress can deceive us, it can deceive anyone,” stated the former Uttar Pradesh CM, who also criticised the Congress for its demand for a nationwide caste census.

The Congress has not formed an alliance with the INDIA bloc partners, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The conflict between Congress and SP in Madhya Pradesh has led to verbal and sarcastic exchanges, which in turn prompted Nitish to express his frustration with Congress for not giving priority to the coalition.

However, amid the unease among the stakeholders, the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray, also a part of the INDIA bloc, took a defensive stance on Monday, stating that the coalition was established to remove the “dictatorial regime” at the Centre, while politics at the State level is different.

“It is crucial for the Congress to win elections in order to curb the misuse of power and the arrogance of money. This is of utmost importance for the INDIA alliance,” stated the party’s mouthpiece, Saamana. It further emphasised that the Assembly polls scheduled this month in five States serve as a “dress rehearsal” for the Lok Sabha polls next year.

The Shiv Sena also acknowledged the validity of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s concerns. However, it noted that such concerns should not be aired publicly, as it gives the BJP sadistic pleasure.

During the past week, other prominent stakeholders like Sharad Pawar, Sitaram Yechury, and Omar Abdullah have also voiced their concerns and emphasised the urgency of formulating the INDIA alliance, provided everyone is committed to dismantling the juggernaut of Narendra Modi in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

A senior Congress leader, who is working behind the scenes for the coordination committee of the INDIA bloc, mentioned that such animosities are bound to occur during elections but they do not endure.

“In the case of the INDIA bloc, everyone realises that the common goal is to prevent Modi’s dominance in the next elections. However, Congress is expected to perform well in the five State Assembly polls, and any resentments will likely take a back seat because the primary focus will be on the Lok Sabha polls. We have advised our leaders to refrain from making or responding to comments from the alliance stakeholders,” said an unnamed source to The Pioneer.

He mentioned that members of the Coordination Committee are collaborating for the upcoming alliance meeting and planning a joint rally, preferably in Patna early next month.

Taking a dig at the ongoing issues within the Opposition camp, Union Minister Piyush Goyal remarked that the Opposition bloc INDIA had started to disintegrate and was now referred to as “INDI zero”. Goyal pointed out the dispute between Yadav and MP Congress president Kamal Nath regarding seat sharing for the Assembly polls, as well as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s statement that the Congress was more focused on elections than on setting the course for the INDIA bloc.

“The Opposition alliance is already falling apart even before its formation. The parties within it are competing against each other in the Assembly polls in various States. It has now transformed into an ‘INDI zero’ alliance,” stated Goyal during a press conference while on a tour of Madhya Pradesh.

“Nitish Kumar is disheartened by the state of the alliance. The Aam Aadmi Party criticises the Congress. In West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, the constituents of the alliance are at odds,” asserted the senior BJP leader.