The query — is it the correct time for the opposition-minus Congress to claim its id right now — not appears overstated. The churn has begun and loud voices are searching for a change within the INDIA bloc’s management. Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav – the bloc’s two main performers – have began focusing on Congress at its most susceptible factors. Their social gathering leaders are immediately and not directly pointing fingers on the grand outdated social gathering and its chief Rahul Gandhi.
Their contentions usually are not unfounded. The Congress has misplaced its sheen over the previous few a long time and has witnessed extra downslides even because the Gandhi household’s electoral fortunes have excelled. It has didn’t construct on points and nook the Modi-led authorities and is somewhat obsessive about businessmen and the Prime Minister. Regardless of having Mallikarjun Kharge as its president, the Congress is essentially perceived as a Gandhi family-dominated social gathering.
The household has achieved itself effectively with Rahul Gandhi successful two Lok Sabha seats – Wayanad and Rae Bareli; Priyanka Gandhi Vadra registering an enormous victory in Wayanad after her brother selected to retain Rae Bareli; mom Sonia Gandhi efficiently shifted to the Rajya Sabha later giving up Rae Bareli Lok Sabha for her son. Household loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma wrested the Amethi Lok Sabha seat from Smriti Irani.
The household has secured its fortunes however the social gathering has floundered. Aside from Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, the Congress has carried out badly in the remainder of the states. The social gathering’s higher efficiency within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections is being credited to the regional allies.
For example, within the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, it was mainly Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Celebration (SP) that did the very best within the INDIA bloc and helped the Congress to achieve additionally. The Samajwadi Celebration raised its tally to 37 seats from 5 and its vote share jumped from 18.11 per cent to 33.59 per cent. Congress elevated its vote share by over three per cent to 9.46 per cent with six seats towards one earlier.
Whereas SP helped Congress in Uttar Pradesh, within the Madhya Pradesh Meeting elections the grand outdated social gathering refused to accommodate Akhilesh Yadav’s social gathering. Within the lately held bypolls additionally, Congress fared poorly compared to its INDIA bloc allies. The Trinamool Congress and the Aam Aadmi Celebration did a lot better. The one comfort for the Congress social gathering was successful all three seats in Karnataka and retaining one in Madhya Pradesh.
Nevertheless, its efficiency in Rajasthan, Assam, Punjab and Gujarat was poor. Within the Jharkhand Meeting polls, which the INDIA bloc has been celebrating, the reality is that the Hemant Soren-led JMM’s robust efficiency secured the victory. It definitely was not Congress’ win.
Within the South, the DMK has been going robust and has elbowed out all, together with Congress although it’s an INDIA bloc ally. The one place the place the grand outdated social gathering has been in a position to preserve its lead is Karnataka. The Opposition minus Congress has began expressing itself brazenly. Elevating the bugle this time is none aside from Mamata Banerjee.
In Bengal, she has maintained her supremacy within the Lok Sabha elections and the Meeting polls and the assorted bypolls. She stays unvanquished. She has stopped the BJP from rising within the state and has pinned the remaining, together with the Left and the Congress.
The Trinamool’s dominance in West Bengal has bolstered its place inside the INDIA bloc, particularly after the current bypoll victories within the state. The back-to-back wins have strengthened Mamata Banerjee’s stature as a formidable anti-BJP drive within the opposition bloc. Her social gathering leaders have been calling on the Congress and different INDIA bloc allies to put aside their egos and recognise Mamata Banerjee because the chief of the alliance.
They’ve additionally mentioned that the Congress ought to take the backseat. The Maharashtra Meeting election outcomes appear to be the final straw for the Opposition minus Congress. Days after just a few of her social gathering, Trinamool Congress MPs, mentioned that she ought to be within the INDIA bloc’s driver’s seat, Mamata Banerjee expressed her want. She mentioned that she was able to take up the management of the INDIA bloc.
Rapidly lending her assist was the Samajwadi Celebration, which urged the INDIA bloc to debate Mamata Banerjee’s suggestion and prolonged “100 per cent assist and cooperation” to her. The social gathering additionally desires Congress to take accountability for the losses, be it in Haryana or Maharashtra the place it was the primary social gathering.
The CPI has additionally been equally scathing of the Congress for not accommodating its allies, particularly within the Haryana and Maharashtra polls. Nationalist Congress Celebration (SP) MP Supriya Sule has additionally positively reacted to Mamata Banerjee’s assertion. Sule has mentioned that they are going to be glad if the Trinamool Congress chief takes on extra accountability inside the alliance.
The Congress, which continues to be reeling from the Maharashtra loss, could discover it troublesome to withstand INDIA allies’ contentions this time. The social gathering could or could not go for introspection however the Opposition minus Congress wants to search out its footing and that is the correct time.
