New Delhi: Congress downplays the India Bloc leadership issue, calling such concerns merely election-time rhetoric. The party stated that Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, has been leading the bloc in Parliament since the last session and, along with allies, has been fighting the ruling NDA.
Rahul became the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha after Congress won 99 out of 543 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and emerged as the largest party in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc formed in 2023. Just weeks before the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, West Bengal, Kerala, and Assam, the issue of who will lead the I.N.D.I.A. bloc has resurfaced. Furthermore, the second part of Parliament’s Budget Session, which begins on March 9, will include the I.N.D.I.A. The bloc is preparing to strongly contest the ruling NDA on various issues.
Regarding the state elections, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi questioned the role of his party, the DMK, which is in seat-sharing talks with its allies, including the Congress, for the upcoming assembly elections. The oldest party is demanding more than 25 seats out of the 234 contested in the 2021 elections and also wants power-sharing with the DMK, which is not agreeing to this issue.
The MDMK also stated that while it remains friendly with the grand old party, it hopes the CPI-M-led LDF will remain in power in Kerala, where the Congress-led UDF is making every effort to win.
A few days ago, Congress rebel Mani Shankar Aiyar proposed that a faction of the India Bloc, such as the Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, or RJD, should lead the opposition group to ensure better coordination. The Congress party declined to comment on Aiyar’s remarks, stating that he is not a member of the party.
Earlier, National Conference leader and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had spoken about a lack of coordination within the India Bloc, while an SP MLA had suggested that party chief Akhilesh Yadav should lead the bloc.
Congress whip in the Lok Sabha, Mohammad Javed, told ETV Bharat, “These are election-time noises. Elections are coming up in some states. Therefore, suggestions are being made about who should lead the India Bloc. Rahul Gandhi has been successfully leading the bloc for the past two years. He regularly confronts the NDA and its allies inside and outside Parliament, as was evident in the last session.”
He added, “Bloc coordination remains effective within Parliament under the leadership of Rajya Sabha Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge. Floor management in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is conducted with clarity and unity on a daily basis, ensuring accountability on important national issues.” The I.N.D.I.A. bloc is united and committed to its shared national goals.
Congress insiders said the India Bloc was formed primarily for the 2024 national elections, in which it performed quite well, winning 232 seats, 40 short of the 272 required to form a government.
Congress Working Committee member Jagdish Thakor told ETV Bharat, “If we had won 20-30 more seats, we would have been very close to forming a government.” The India Bloc saw mixed results in the state elections held after the Lok Sabha elections, including victories in Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand. Congress largely won the Telangana and Karnataka assembly elections, but the election results for the bloc in Bihar and Maharashtra were negative.
While a lack of coordination between the Congress and the RJD within the bloc in Bihar was cited as a reason for the defeat, in addition to alleged vote theft, the alliance blamed alleged voter list manipulation for the Maharashtra results.
He said, “All constituent parties contributed to the bloc’s collective success in the 2024 national elections. In state elections, alliances naturally involve dialogue, discussion, and seat-sharing arrangements. Such consultation reflects democratic maturity, not differences. Coordination in states is influenced by local political realities.”
Congress insiders said that the India Bloc’s unity on issues like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists and the India-US trade deal upset the NDA, which prevented Rahul Gandhi from speaking in the House. The confrontation between the treasury and the opposition led to the suspension of seven Congress and one CPI-M MPs, following which a no-confidence motion was introduced against Speaker Om Birla. This motion will be introduced in the second half of the budget session.
AICC official Chandan Yadav told ETV Bharat, “The opposition will definitely raise issues concerning the people.” A minister called the opposition leader a threat to national security. His family members have given their lives for the country. How can such things be tolerated?
