INDIA bloc to collapse? Answer lies with Congress
Those who believe that the Congress party has zero seats only in the West Bengal Assembly are mistaken. In the last two consecutive Assembly elections in Delhi, Congress also failed to win a single seat. In 2015, AAP secured 67 seats in the Delhi Assembly, BJP won 3, and Congress scored 0. In 2020, AAP won 62 seats, BJP 8, and Congress again 0.
The Congress, a major party in the ‘INDIA’ bloc, is now attempting to play a significant role. Sandeep Dikshit, son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, has been fielded as a candidate against Arvind Kejriwal in the forthcoming elections. In the run-up to the Delhi Assembly elections, AICC’s Ajay Maken referred to Kejriwal as “the biggest fraud” and “anti-national.” What Congress appears to be doing is splitting the vote, which could inadvertently help the BJP.
Mamata Banerjee named the coalition the ‘INDIA’ bloc, with Rahul Gandhi lending his support. The BJP became apprehensive. Opposition leaders recognised the need for more meetings and discussions on seat-sharing arrangements. Mallikarjun Kharge became the chairman of the bloc after Mamata proposed his name. But what did the “big party”, Congress, do? It remained silent and failed to convene a meeting for six months. Why six months? Because Congress assumed it could lead the coalition if it won three state Assembly elections that were due. However, it lost both the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh elections but continued to cling to its “zamindari” mindset.
Despite the Congress' shortcomings, the grand opposition alliance felt a sense of victory after securing 234 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This result forced the BJP to form a coalition government, as the saffron party fell short of the 272-seat majority mark.
This presented an opportunity to keep the alliance united and challenge the government both inside and outside Parliament. However, Congress’ actions have left much to be desired. For instance, in Haryana, if three seats had been allocated to AAP, the coalition might have won. But Rahul Gandhi’s Congress placed its faith in the Hooda family and lost. Similarly, in Maharashtra, the Samajwadi Party, despite having some influence, was not given a single seat to contest. Congress pressured its allies, NCP (Sharad) and Shiv Sena (Uddhav), to concede additional seats to Congress. Of the 75 seats it contested, Congress won only 10, leading to resentment among its allies, who accused Congress of prioritising itself over the coalition. The result was another setback. A campaign has emerged suggesting that Mamata Banerjee demanded a leadership role in the INDIA bloc. This is entirely false.
In an interview, when asked about the bloc and her potential leadership, Mamata stated that the INDIA bloc would remain intact. She added that if required, she could lead from Bengal itself.
The next Lok Sabha elections are scheduled for 2029. What should be the primary objective now? Ensuring coordination among all the parties in the INDIA bloc. If necessary, virtual meetings should be held. Unity must be maintained for the greater purpose. A seven-time MP, four-time Central minister, and three-term Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee has consistently defeated the BJP. Her acceptance and credibility are beyond doubt. More importantly, she has maintained strong relationships with opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar, Omar Abdullah, Arvind Kejriwal, Aditya Thackeray, and Akhilesh Yadav, who have all endorsed her leadership. Even Lalu Prasad Yadav has expressed his support for Mamata. Congress, however, seems nervous, fearing that its self-proclaimed “zamindari” may be at risk. A Congress spokesperson recently stated that the party is “not an NGO” and would not make concessions to its allies. It appears Congress is already preparing for the 2029 elections, but Rahul Gandhi risks alienating allies further. The unity forged through the INDIA bloc’s 234-seat performance could unravel. Leaders like Stalin and Hemant Soren remain silent in the face of Congress’ high-handedness, as Congress is their coalition partner in government. Their silence raises questions about the bloc’s future.
Mamata wants the bloc to remain intact, but Congress seems uninterested in keeping it alive. Coalition partners are increasingly disillusioned. Take, for example, the Jharkhand elections. Rahul Gandhi visited the state a few times but spent most of his time focused on Wayanad. In the Wayanad by-election, Priyanka Gandhi’s victory was almost certain, yet Rahul prioritised increasing the margin of her win over coalition efforts. This family-first mentality is undermining the coalition and even the Congress party itself.
If the “big party” continues with this mindset, can the coalition survive? An irate Arvind Kejriwal has already suggested excluding Congress from the INDIA bloc. While Mamata remains committed to unity, Congress seems more concerned with its own interests. If the INDIA bloc collapses, it will undoubtedly please the BJP, and Congress may take credit for the fallout. A “big” party, a “big” credit.
The writer is a senior journalist based in Kolkata and the Editor-in-Chief of the Bengali newspaper 'Aajkaal'
