New Delhi, September 30 The ongoing tussle within the India Block has come to the fore again after the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) entered the fray separately in the Haryana Assembly elections. The hallmark of the disintegration of this block was not seen only in Haryana. The different tones of the parties in the Lok Sabha and then in the assembly elections of many states also point to the disintegrating family of the India Block.
The tense relations between the alliance partners are worsening with each passing day, including states like Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Jharkhand, where the knot within the India Alliance is either opening or is on the verge of breaking.
This difference of opinion now seems to be reaching a crucial stage, as the differences between TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Congress are increasing. The Congress is gradually emerging itself as the main rival of the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.
It is worth noting that before the Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had expressed her disagreement with any attempt to project Congress MP Rahul Gandhi as a possible candidate for the post of Prime Minister. Mamata Banerjee has not participated in any major meeting since the formation of the India Alliance.
Recently, slogans of ‘Go Back’ were raised when Congress West Bengal unit president Subhankar Sarkar met the striking junior doctors. Angry family members of the patient’s death in the hospital beat up and pushed the junior doctors. In protest against this, the junior doctors went on strike. At the same time, when state Congress president Subhankar and the Congress delegation reached the hospital, they had to face opposition from the junior doctors and slogans were also raised against them.
After this, the Congress attacked the ruling Trinamool Congress government and also blamed the Mamata government for the ‘bad law and order’ in the state. This incident reflects the growing rift within the India Block, which was formed to challenge the BJP.
Needless to say, the alliance is facing problems, with various components disagreeing mainly due to personal ambitions. This confrontation is not limited to West Bengal only. Infighting among alliance members is also being seen in other states.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress are pitted against each other in the Haryana assembly elections, which is reminiscent of the contest between them in the Punjab assembly elections. Leaders of both the parties often keep making allegations and counter-allegations, which strengthens the perception that the India Block is falling apart.
In fact, the India Block did not have a good start. In Bihar, the Janata Dal (United) walked out of the alliance after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joined the NDA. It cannot be denied that Nitish Kumar was the most vocal in the efforts to unite the opposition against Prime Minister Narendra Modi before the Lok Sabha elections.
There are also reports that there are obstacles between the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) in reaching a consensus on seat sharing within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). It is being said that the Congress wants the biggest share.
On the other hand, as talks for seat sharing in Jharkhand are likely to begin in the coming days, questions are being raised on the relationship of the Congress with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
Political experts are questioning whether the India Block can withstand these internal conflicts or is it on the verge of collapse?
Some people say that the India Alliance hardly exists now, unity and harmony are nowhere to be seen. Just, the name India Block is raised at odd hours.
