News Analysis India

Tag: INDIA bloc

  • ‘Vanishing’ Team Of Rahul Gandhi Faces More Challenges As INDIA Bloc Seat-Sharing Deal Turns Lethal For Congress |

    Rahul Gandhi has kicked off programs for his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur today but at the same time, his party Congress has suffered a massive setback in Maharashtra where senior party leader Milind Deora resigned from the party and has joined CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. While the Congress leaders have accused the BJP of hatching conspiracy ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s yatra, the grand old party has turned a blind eye to a storm that is brewing within the party. 

    According to reports, Milind Deora resigned after Congress agreed to let Shiv Sena-UBT retain Mumbai South Parliamentary seat. Deora was adamant about contesting the seat and thus left the party. Deora is the first casualty of the INDIA Bloc seat-sharing deal. With the impending general elections this year, the Congress is navigating a delicate balance, aiming to steer clear of potentially embarrassing incidents akin to Sachin Pilot’s rebellion in Rajasthan—a state they recently lost in the assembly elections.

    The Mumbai South Seat is currently held by Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena, aligned with Uddhav Thackeray’s faction. Since Sena UBT won the seat when it was in alliance with the BJP, if Shinde Sena fields Deora from the seat, it might be looking at a potential winning candidate with a proven track record in the constituency. 

    For Congress, Deora’s departure marks a significant loss for the Congress, particularly in terms of shaping the party’s strategy in the region. This exit creates a void that may pose challenges to fill in the upcoming elections. 

    As the Lok Sabha election gets closer, the Congress has lost a leader of calibre who commands a significant vote share in the region. While Sawant had got around 4.21 lakh votes in the 2019 polls, Deora was runner-up with over 3 lakh votes. Deora’s exit will also have an impact on the impending Maharashtra assembly elections. 

    Deora’s exit also marks the increasing void within the Congress as leaders who were once close to Rahul Gandhi are slowly deserting the party. This includes Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Hardik Patel, Ashwani Kumar, Sunil Jakhar, RPN Singh, Amarinder Singh, Jitin Prasada, and Anil Antony among others. 

    Now, the Congress party is already in talks with the Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, and Trinamool Congress for seat sharing in Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Since Congress has shown a willingness to take a backseat in the seat-sharing deal, it will be ceding more seats to INDIA bloc partners and that may certainly hurt the ambition of its many leaders. If the Congress party fails to control the dissent, then more leaders may quit the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, further weakening the party. 

    The Congress has already witnessed voices of dissent over its decision to avoid the Ram Temple consecration ceremony. Leaders from across the northern belt are reportedly unhappy with the party’s move to desist from attending the Ram temple event. These issues are crucial and Congress needs a solution at the earliest. Otherwise, for a party which is almost on life-support for the last two parliamentary polls, the coming days will be more challenging.

  • Congress Begins Seat-Sharing Talks With INDIA Bloc Constituents For 2024 Lok Sabha Elections |

    New Delhi: The Congress party has started the process of seat-sharing with its allies in the INDIA bloc, a 28-party opposition coalition that aims to challenge the ruling BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. According to sources, the party has instructed its senior leaders to initiate talks with other leaders of the alliance and some discussions have already begun. The sources also said that formal negotiations for seat-sharing with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab and Delhi will commence on Monday.

    The party has formed a five-member committee on seat-sharing, headed by Mukul Wasnik and comprising of Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel and other senior leaders. The committee has conducted internal consultations with state Congress chiefs and submitted its report to party president Mallikarjun Kharge.

    The seat-sharing talks with other parties follow the decision of the INDIA bloc to field a single opposition candidate in each Lok Sabha seat against the BJP, in order to maximise the chances of defeating it in 2024. The sources said that Kharge has delegated the responsibility of working on seat distribution with other parties to senior leaders, including the members of the seat-sharing committee.

    The Congress has already forged pre-poll alliances with parties like the DMK in Tamil Nadu, RJD and JDU in Bihar, JMM in Jharkhand and others in Assam, but it faces challenges in striking deals with some major parties in key states.

    Kerala, West Bengal, Delhi And Punjab Pose Difficulties

    The most difficult states for the Congress to have seat-sharing arrangements with INDIA bloc partners are Kerala, West Bengal, Delhi and Punjab, where the party insiders admit the complexity of the situation. In West Bengal, the TMC and the Left, despite being part of the opposition alliance, are not willing to have any understanding with each other and the Congress will have to choose one of them.

    The recent statements of TMC leaders and Congress PCC chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have also dampened the prospects of a possible partnership between the two parties in the state. In Kerala, the Congress has 19 of the 20 MPs from the state and having an arrangement with the CPI-M seems unlikely as it would mean sacrificing its sitting MPs.

    In Punjab, both the AAP and the Congress are confident of their victory and do not want to have any alliance. State Congress units of other states like Kerala have also opposed any seat-sharing, the sources said.

    Congress-Samajwadi Party Rift In Uttar Pradesh

    The relations between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh are also strained, as evident from the recent statements of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who is unhappy with the Congress for not giving him any seats in the recent Madhya Pradesh assembly election and for the remarks of Kamal Nath against him.

    However, the Congress is holding seat-sharing talks with all partners while hoping to find some middle ground in order to strengthen the opposition against the BJP.

    The sources added that the party has decided to complete the seat-sharing arrangements with other parties of the opposition by the end of this month.

    INDIA Bloc May Pick A Convener Soon

    Congress president Kharge had said on Saturday that leaders of INDIA parties would take a decision within 10-15 days on the allocation of posts in the opposition bloc, amid speculation that the alliance could pick a convener before the Lok Sabha elections. He also said that all other matters, including seat-sharing of the INDIA bloc, would be resolved soon, with party sources indicating that this is likely to be done by the month-end.

    Kharge said that the Congress is working on all the 545 Lok Sabha constituencies and has appointed observers for all the seats, but the final decision on which party will contest which seat and how many will be taken after consultations with all constituents of the opposition alliance. Asked how many seats the party would contest, he said, “We have already finalised parliamentary observers for all the constituencies… We will go and assess in each Parliamentary constituency.”

  • INDIA bloc again seeks meeting with CEC over VVPATs

    New Delhi: The Congress sent yet another letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, requesting for a meeting of the INDIA bloc leaders with him to discuss their demands such as the voters’ self-checking voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips and their larger use in the Lok Sabha election.

    The party also reminded the CEC that he has not given them time for a meeting despite several requests.

    “On December 20, 2023, we again requested for an appointment with the ECI (Election Commission of India) to discuss and provide suggestions on the use of VVPATs based on a resolution passed at a meeting of leaders of INDIA parties held the previous day,” All India Congress Committee general Secretary Jairam Ramesh said in his December 30 letter on behalf of the Congress to the CEC. “We have been trying to meet with the ECI to hand over a copy of this resolution and have a discussion but have not been successful so far in doing so. I once again make a request for an opportunity for a 3-4 member team of the INDIA party leaders to meet with you and your colleagues and take a few minutes to put forward our point of view on VVPATs. Surely this is a perfectly reasonable and justifiable request.”Ramesh also reminded Kumar about the opposition submitting a memorandum to the ECI about concerns over electronic voting machines (EVMs) on August 9 and then making a series of requests on August 9, 10, 16, 18 and 23 for an opposition leaders’ meeting with ECI representatives. He said all that came in response was a “generic clarification” on August 23, in which the ECI told the opposition to refer to the standard FAQs on EVMs available on the ECI website.

  • Happy Leap Year 2024: How political parties, EC & leaders’ efforts will achieve progress in the new year

    As India and many other countries get ready for parliamentary elections, domestic compulsions and priorities are likely to guide diplomatic manoeuvres

    BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY

    A big leap if BJP makes a hattrick of winning elections, a feat till now enjoyed by Congress under India’s first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal NehruWith Ram Mandir and Article 370 done, the ruling party will now push for third core issue of uniform civil code, which is currently being tested at the state level

    With core objectives of the ruling party nearly achieved, BJP will need new driving issues for the cadre

    Can the party breach the southern frontier in its quest to become a pan-India party

    INDIA BLOC PARTIESAfter a dismal round of state elections, Congress needs a great leap to be in the reckoning for the 2024 Lok Sabha pollsCongress leader Rahul Gandhi requires leaps of rebranding to be a credible challenger to the ruling dispensation that looks strong

    Opposition requires their poll funding to grow by leaps and bounds to match BJP’s election blitz

    INDIA parties require faith in each other to stick together and fix issues, including seat-sharing

    Opposition parties want VVPATs across all polling stations, but that looks a distant dream

    BIJU JANATA DALCan Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik win another term and become the longest-serving chief minister in the country

    With Patnaik’s close aide VK Pandian joining the party, can BJD take a generational leap

    Can the party continue to maintain equidistance from both BJP and the Opposition alliance

    YSR CONGRESS PARTYCan YS Jagan Mohan Reddy repeat the success of his father YSR Rajasekhara Reddy by winning two successive assembly elections at a time when his family members are distancing themselves from the Andhra chief minister

    Can YSRCP still be attractive to voters, especially after the loss of BRS in the neighbouring Telangana

    Can Jagan Mohan Reddy still maintain cordial ties with BJP at a time when the national party is leaping closer to Opposition Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh

    ELECTION COMMISSIONEVM-VVPAT issue is set to become a political talking point, with Opposition seeking 100% match

    Under fire from courts and even within on checking objectionable campaign discourse in 2019 elections, EC will have to be a step ahead to set the tone in 2024

    Onus on EC to keep an eye on money flow and check undue influence on voters

    Poll panel will have to be alert to deepfakes, AI dangers in distorting election narrative

    INTERNAL SECURITYImplementation of the three new criminal laws will be a big challenge

    December 2024 deadline to roll out the new laws, first in Union Territories, will require major overhaul in the criminal justice system — from police stations to district courts and prisons

    Jammu & Kashmir polls before September 2024 as mandated by Supreme Court will be another challenge

    The much-delayed Census and updating National Population Register will require multiple efforts

    Re-emergence of Khalistan 2.0, with such elements gaining prominence overseas, another focus area

    FOREIGN POLICYFocus on economic diplomacy to attract additional FDI

    Fresh investment proposals expected from global players to give the economy a leap

    With general elections due in Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, India is expected to make concerted efforts to expand partnerships

    Focus on India hosting Quad summit for first time

    All eyes on Modi-Putin annual summit, India-UK FTA

    India to be watchful of China as it continues expansionist actions in neighbourhood

    DEFENCE & EXTERNAL SECURITYThe changing nature of attacks, such as drone attacks on commercial vessels in Red Sea and Indian Ocean, and threats posed by Chinese spy balloons will be key challenges

    Can India and China jointly resolve border flashpoints pending since 2020

    Having secured orders and support from government, can private industry fulfil requirements of the armed forces under Make in India

    Defence exports may take a leap, with Indian systems likely to find orders from Southeast Asian, Central Asian and African countries

  • INDIA bloc: TMC will lead charge in Bengal, India Bloc nationally: Mamata Banerjee

    Setting the tone for 2024 Lok Sabha polls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said INDIA bloc will taken on the BJP-led NDA in the country while Trinamool Congress will fight on its own in Bengal. Banerjee kicked off the campaign for Lok Sabha polls through a worker’s meet and a public rally at Chakla in North 24 Parganas district.

    Banerjee’s statement on Thursday made clear that there are remote chances of any alliance or seat-sharing with Congress or Left Front in the state.

    Banerjee also hit out at the BJP on CAA, saying, “the citizenship card is a ploy ahead of every Lok Sabha polls in a bid to woo the votes of the Matua community.”AITC took to its X handle and said, “@BJP4India’s yearly revival of the CAA issue is merely a ploy to manipulate people and garner votes. They’ve repeatedly misled the Matua community with false promises of citizenship. Had the Matuas not been legitimate citizens, how would they possess Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, ration cards, and receive the benefits of government schemes and services?”

    Wooing the Matua community in Chakla, Banerjee spoke about the developmental works done for the community in the Matua-dominated North 24 Parganas district.

    “Who did the developmental work for the Matua Thakurbari? We did it and have built colleges and universities… But ahead of elections, they (BJP) visit the Matua Thakurbari and ask for votes, making tall claims,” the West Bengal CM questioned.While talking about the CAA, Banerjee reminded people that all are the citizens of this country. “If you are not a citizen of this country, how are you receiving free ration, Swasthya Sathi, Pan Card, Aadhaar Card? Previously, the citizenship card was the responsibility of the District Magistrates, but the same has been taken away…They want to divide people,” Banerjee asserted.”The Matuas, who came to Bengal from Bangladesh till 1971, live in colonies and we are giving pattas to all those colonies under the name “Chirosthaayi Thikana” to ensure that they don’t have to live like refugees,” Banerjee said.

  • Nitish Kumar says ‘not upset’ with INDIA bloc’s proposal on Kharge’s name |

    In a move to end scepticism over a possible rift within the INDIA bloc, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said he did not convey any willingness to get a post in the bloc, emphasising that he is not ‘upset’. 

    The chief minister added that he will be on board with whatever decision the bloc takes.

    The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc of the Opposition met in New Delhi last week for its fourth meeting. The meeting came after Congress suffered a major setback in three states – Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. 

    During the meeting, key opposition leaders recommended Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s name for the prime ministerial post. 

    In August, Nitish Kumar had reiterated that he did not want the post of national convener of the INDIA bloc, adding that his move to drive the Opposition into unity was not motivated by “personal ambition.”

    Meanwhile, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi dialled up Kumar after reports surfaced that he is unhappy with the bloc and how it is advancing. The INDIA bloc meeting concluded with the decision that a call on seat sharing ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2024 would be taken soon. 

    Currently, the INDIA bloc has set a deadline of December 31 for seat sharing. The Opposition bloc has also decided to launch nationwide public meetings soon. A special focus will also be put on Uttar Pradesh ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls. 

    On the other hand, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has set a goal of securing 50 per cent vote share in the next Lok Sabha elections. The party has also announced the beginning of cluster meetings from January 15 while the Yuva Morcha will hold around 5,000 conferences across the country.

    The cluster meetings will be attended and addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and BJP President JP Nadda.

    Meanwhile, the BJP Yuva Morcha will begin a new campaign for new voters across the nation from January 24. 

     

  • Rahul Gandhi Corners BJP Govt Over Parliament Security Breach, Attacks PM Modi, Amit Shah At Jantar Mantar Protest |

    NEW DELHI: Congress Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a blistering attack on the Narendra Modi government over the recent security breach at Parliament and asked the ruling disposition to fix accountability for the shocking security lapse. The Congress leader also reiterated that unemployment and inflation due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies were the reasons behind the Parliament security breach.

    Addressing a huge gathering of supporters at the Jantar Mantar, Rahul Gandhi said, “2-3 youths entered Parliament and released smoke. At this moment, BJP MPs ran away. In this incident, there is the question of a serious security breach, but there is another question of why they protested this way. The answer is unemployment in the country.”

    Hitting out at the national media, Rahul said, “The media did not talk about unemployment in the country. But it talked about Rahul Gandhi recording a video where suspended MPs were sitting outside the Parliament…”

    In a powerful display of dissent, leaders from the Opposition bloc, INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance), began their nationwide protest at the Jantar Mantar on Friday in response to the recent suspension of 146 MPs from Parliament. The latest round of protests from the Opposition members comes after days of disruption and chaos at the Parliament in the wake of the incident on December 13, where two individuals breached the Lok Sabha chamber, releasing smoke from canisters.

    Nationwide Outcry: INDIA Alliance Mobilizes Against BJP Government

    Leader of the Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, announced on Thursday that the protest is not limited to the capital. Simultaneous demonstrations will unfold in all district headquarters across the country, denouncing what he termed the “immoral and illegal” behavior of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. He emphasized the opposition’s commitment to upholding democratic values and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the security breach issue in the House.

    “The PM should come and speak in the house first. This is really condemnable! We are repeatedly requesting the speaker of the Lok Sabha and the chairman of the Rajya Sabha. The members of the ruling party are disturbing the proceedings. This shows that they (the BJP) don’t have faith in India’s democracy. The constitution and democratic practices should be upheld. Tomorrow, INDIA leaders will protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Throughout the country, Opposition leaders will protest against this immoral and illegal behaviour of the BJP government,” Kharge said on Thursday.

    Rahul Gandhi Takes The Lead: Congress Leader To Join Protest

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived at the protest venue -Jantar Mantar, around 11 AM to take part in the ongoing protest. Besides Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and several other top leaders of the INDIA bloc were seen taking part in the ‘Save Democracy’ protest against mass suspension of MPs at the Jantar Mantar. The protest aims to draw attention to the suspension of opposition MPs and the perceived disregard for parliamentary norms.

     

    #WATCH | Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and NCP chief Sharad Pawar and leaders of INDIA parties take part in ‘Save Democracy’ protest against mass suspension of MPs, at Jantar Mantar in Delhi pic.twitter.com/nxslPhTB1V
    — ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2023

     

    Kharge Condemns BJP’s Conduct, Calls For Prime Minister’s Accountability

    In a scathing critique, Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the conduct of the ruling party, accusing them of disrupting proceedings and undermining India’s democracy. He called on Prime Minister Modi to address the House before anything else, emphasizing the opposition’s repeated requests for a discussion on the security breach.

    National Outcry: Protests Escalate Across States

    Congress MP Shashi Tharoor echoed Kharge’s sentiments, emphasizing the need for nationwide protests. He asserted that the INDIA alliance protest would be widespread, demonstrating the opposition’s united stand against what they perceived as an assault on democracy. “It’s appropriate to protest and all of us will be at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The INDIA alliance protest will happen everywhere (Friday) morning in all the states because we want to show the public that if they’d run Parliament like this and won’t listen to the opposition then they are ruining the democracy,” said Tharoor.

    AAP MPs Join The Fray: Support For INDIA Bloc Grows

    Adding to the momentum, AAP MPs, including ND Gupta, Sandeep Pathak, Sant Balbir Seecehwal, and Sanjeev Arora, will join the INDIA bloc protest, further amplifying the collective voice against the government’s actions.

    The ongoing winter session of Parliament has witnessed an unprecedented wave of suspensions, with three more Congress MPs -D K Suresh, Deepak Baij, and Nakul Nath -joining the list of suspended lawmakers.

    Protests, March Against Suspension Of MPs

    On Thursday, INDIA bloc MPs marched from Parliament to Vijay Chowk in protest of the suspension of opposition lawmakers. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s alleged violation of parliamentary privilege for not addressing the security breach issue in the House. The lawmakers carried a large ‘Save Democracy’ banner and placards reading ‘Opposition MPs Suspended,’ ‘Parliament Caged,’ and ‘Democracy Expelled’ during the march.

    What Led To The Suspension Of MPs?

    The suspension of 145 MPs during the current winter session of Parliament stems from a critical incident on December 13. Two individuals breached the sanctity of the Lok Sabha chamber, unleashing smoke from canisters and triggering a chain of disruptions initiated by the opposition.

    The primary catalyst for the suspension lies in the Opposition’s persistent interference with House proceedings, demanding accountability for the security breach. Their pivotal request revolves around a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking clarity on the circumstances surrounding the breach.

    This ongoing saga has resulted in the suspension of a significant number of lawmakers, with 100 from the Lok Sabha and 46 from the Rajya Sabha facing disciplinary action. The suspension, attributed to their involvement in “creating chaos and disrupting proceedings,” underscores the profound impact of the December 13 incident on the parliamentary landscape.

    The Opposition, at the moment, remains resolute in its demand for accountability and an open discussion on the security breach issue, setting the stage for a continued standoff in the days to come.

  • Varanasi: Priyanka Gandhi should contest from Varanasi against Modi: WB CM Mamata Banerjee – The Economic Times Video

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