Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has voiced concerns about the opposition’s INDIA bloc. The former Union Minister has said that he was not sure if the opposition alliance was still intact.
“The future (of INDIA bloc) is not so bright, as Mritunjay Singh Yadav said. He seems to feel that the alliance is still intact, but I am not sure. It is only Salman (Khurshid) who can answer because he was part of the negotiating team for the INDIA bloc. If the alliance is totally intact, I will be very happy. But it shows at the seams that it is frayed,” Chidambaram, a Rajya Sabha MP, said speaking at the launch of Salman Khurshid and Mritunjay Singh Yadav’s book ‘Contesting Democratic Deficit.’
Chidambaram also hoped that the alliance can still be put together as it was fighting against a ‘formidable machinery’, which must be fought on all fronts.
“In my experience and my reading of history, there has been no political party so formidably organised as the BJP. It’s not just another political party. It’s a machine behind a machine and the two machines control all the machineries in India,” Chidambaram said.
Ahead of Bihar Assembly Elections
The comments come months ahead of Bihar assembly elections where the INDIA bloc parties led by the RJD are contesting together against the NDA led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal United.
The INDIA bloc or the Indian National Developmental Inclusive alliance is a alliance of several political parties in India led by the country’s largest opposition party, the Congress. The alliance came up in opposition to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2024 general elections. INDIA bloc won 235 seats as against 293 seats by the NDA.
“From the Election Commission to the lowest police station in the country, they (BJP) are able to control and sometimes capture these institutions. It is a formidable machinery, as much as can be allowed in a democracy,” Chidambaram said.
In the book, Khurshid and Yadav reflect on the Congress’ revival efforts ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections – from the emotionally-charged “Bharat Jodo Yatra” to the “historic” formation of the INDIA bloc comprising diverse political forces.
Khurshid and Yadav recount how the opposition parties rallied “to defend the idea of an inclusive, pluralistic India”.
Chidambaram said at the book launch that if the 2029 general elections take a decisive turn to strengthen the BJP, “we are beyond repair”. “The 2029 elections are critical and must return us to a full-fledged democracy,” he said.
Concurring with Chidambaram, Khurshid said there were issues concerning the INDIA bloc that needed to be addressed.
The future (of INDIA bloc) is not so bright… It shows at the seams that it is frayed.
“We need to address the concerns. The takeaway from Chidambaram’s views is that we have to be prepared for a very major battle in 2029. We have to deal with the whole idea of how to get the alliance partners together,” the former foreign minister said.
