New Delhi:
Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray is in Delhi to meet the top brass of the INDIA opposition bloc, which continues to lurch from one existential crisis to another – the latest being the BJP thumping the AAP in Delhi, and Sharad Pawar felicitating Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
On NCP boss Sharad Pawar’s actions, the junior Thackeray refused to be drawn, telling reporters, “I will not talk about (that)… it is our (the Sena faction now led by Uddhav Thackeray) to never honour a person like this (Mr Shinde) … (who) not only split our party but also Maharashtra’s spine…”
On the INDIA bloc picture, though, Mr Thackeray said he met the Congress’ Rahul Gandhi last night and will meet AAP boss Arvind Kejriwal later today. He then fired a warning about the “future of India” and tried to rally the grouping, accusing the BJP of plotting to “finish off… democracy”.
Mr Thackeray also raised red flags about election fraud and hacking of EVMs, or electronic voting machines, which the opposition claims – after every defeat – was orchestrated by the BJP.
“I met Rahul Gandhiji last night (and) today I will meet Arvind Kejriwalji. The future of our country is in doubt… today, we don’t know where our vote is going amid voter fraud and EVM fraud…”
“Are elections being held in a free-and-fair manner? We think we are living in a democracy… but it is no longer a democracy. What happened with us and Kejriwalji and the Congress… this could happen with Nitish (Kumar)ji, and Chandrababu Naiduji in the future…” he thundered.
The reference to Nitish Kumar was not lost; the Bihar Chief Minister helped found the INDIA bloc in 2023 before a dramatic jump (back) to the BJP’s camp 12 months later. He now faces a state election later this year, and there is speculation the INDIA bloc is trying to re-flip the JDU boss.
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Mr Thackeray’s reference to Nitish – that the BJP may stack the odds to ensure its ‘ally’ loses the majority, or at least the upper hand, in their relationship, is being seen by many in this light.
Formed in June 2023 to unite opposition parties against the BJP, the INDIA bloc has flattered to impress, with only a few scattered Assembly election wins to show for its efforts.
The bloc has come under criticism – internal and external – with the bulk reserved for the Congress and its apparent inability to work with smaller parties on issues like seat-sharing before elections.
The defeat in Haryana and the BJP’s Delhi triumph have both been held up as examples of the Congress not ‘playing nice’. The Congress, however, hit back firmly; after the AAP’s Delhi defeat, party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said making other parties win is not the Congress’ responsibility.
However, questions over the INDIA bloc’s future are not new; the group’s functioning was also discussed after the 2023 Madhya Pradesh election that the BJP won comfortably.
Then too there was criticism of the Congress, at which time two key group members – Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool and Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party – delivered rebukes. Since then there has also been talk of a leadership change, with Ms Banerjee the apparent consensus pick.
Mr Thackeray, though, firmly ruled out any talk of the bloc crumbling or a leadership shuffle, stating, “There are many seniors who will prepare a roadmap. The INDIA bloc has joint leadership… there is no one leader. This is not a fight of egos but for the future of the country.”
The bloc’s next big challenge (assuming it stays together till then) is the Bihar election.
With input from agencies
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