News Analysis India

Tag: Lok Sabha Elections 2024

  • ‘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.

  • AAP-Congress To Decide Seat Share Soon; BJP Alleges Confusion In Alliance |

    New Delhi: After the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held their first formal meeting on Monday to discuss seat-sharing arrangements under the INDIA bloc for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, AAP leaders said that a final decision on seat-sharing will be taken soon, whereas the BJP alleged that there’s confusion in the alliance.

    The meeting comes amid rumours of discontent between the state units of the Congress and the AAP in Delhi and Punjab. AAP leader Atishi and other party leaders were present at the meeting held at Congress leader and convener of the Congress National Alliance Committee, Mukul Wasnik’s residence in the national capital to discuss the seat-sharing formula.

    After the meeting, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj told ANI that they are positive that seats in the INDIA bloc will be finalised soon. “We are absolutely positive that seats in the INDIA bloc will be finalised soon. Even when a party decides its ticket, there are many contenders for every seat. Even in a party, there is a problem in candidate selection as to whom to give tickets and whom not to. In such a situation, when there are two or three parties, there will definitely be problems. But this can be solved. Soon, all the parties will be seen coming together on a common platform,” the Delhi Minister told ANI.

    Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took a dig at the meeting of AAP and Congress on seat sharing and said that there is some confusion in the INDIA bloc, adding that soon both parties will say, ‘Ek tha INDI gathbandhan’.

    “There is some kind of confusion in the INDIA bloc. Today they are talking about seat sharing. There is confusion because they hold hands during the photo but they are not connected by heart. Bhagwant Mann once said ‘Ek thi Congress’, to which Pawan Khera said ‘Ek tha joker’. Very soon, both of them will say, ‘Ek tha INDI gathbandhan’,” the BJP leader told ANI.
    Hitting out at the INDIA bloc, Poonawalla said that the alliance is filled with contradictions, which is why they haven’t finalised their agenda and logo till now.

    “The INDI alliance is filled with contradictions, which is why, till now, they haven’t finalised their agenda. They even have not decided on their logo. AAP has been formed by finishing Congress from Punjab and Delhi. Will it be possible for the AAP to give the tickets to those whom they have finished?” the BJP leader added. As the countdown to the upcoming Lok Sabha polls has begun, the INDIA bloc has begun its seat-sharing talks in earnest.

    The allocation of seats becomes pivotal for Congress, especially after recent electoral setbacks. Meanwhile, India’s political landscape is undergoing a significant transition as the 2024 Lok Sabha elections draw near. The INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) consortium is gearing up to challenge the established National Democratic Alliance.

    The bloc is struggling to resolve key challenges, including finalising seat-sharing arrangements and, most importantly, deciding on a PM face, while the BJP has started executing strategies it laid out in 2023 to secure victory in general elections.

  • 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. 

     

  • Question mark on Opposition unity as Congress puts up dismal show in N-E

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Even as the Congress is making assertions on Opposition unity and leading the anti-BJP front in 2024, the debacle in three North-Eastern states raises questions on the road ahead for Opposition unity and Congress’s compatibility with its alliance partners.

    Citing the failed Tripura experiment, where the Congress tied up with the CPM for a pre-poll alliance, analysts and party insiders say that Congress will have to amend its ways to retain its relevance in the run-up to half a dozen assembly polls and 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    In its political resolution passed during the Congress plenary session in Raipur in Chhattisgarh, the party said that it will adopt a central role and will go all-out in identifying and mobilising like-minded parties to challenge the BJP- in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

    ALSO READ | BJP and its Chanakya of Northeast script another spectacular showing

    However, political scientist Sandeep Shastri points out that parties need to share ‘political chemistry’ besides electoral arithmetic to win elections.

    “The unity has to be seen in terms of the workers at the ground level. The important question is whether the workers at the ground level subscribe to that unity. For voters to really buy the unity argument, it has to be in terms of policy and programmes,” the political scientist said.

    Tripura results demonstrate that though Congress has gained from the alliance, it did not work for CPI (M) as its tally of 16 MLAs in 2018 fell to 11 this year. The vote share of the party was down to 24.62 per cent from 42.22 per cent in 2018. However, Congress’s vote share was up from 2 per cent in 2018 to 8.56 per cent now.

    ALSO READ | Nagaland: Smooth sail as Opposition fails to put up any contest 

    A senior Congress leader, who was part of the election campaign in Tripura, admitted that Congress workers did not transfer votes to CPM as they couldn’t come to terms with the alliance with the old rivals.

    “The alliance failed because the vote transfer from Congress didn’t happen,” he said requesting anonymity.Immediately after the election results, Kerala Minister PA Mohammad Riyas lashed out at Congress for the absence of its leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in the Tripura campaign.

    While the Congress takes solace from its victory in three assembly bypolls in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, political observers point out that the credit of the win largely can be attributed to the support of its allies in respective states. 

    NEW DELHI: Even as the Congress is making assertions on Opposition unity and leading the anti-BJP front in 2024, the debacle in three North-Eastern states raises questions on the road ahead for Opposition unity and Congress’s compatibility with its alliance partners.

    Citing the failed Tripura experiment, where the Congress tied up with the CPM for a pre-poll alliance, analysts and party insiders say that Congress will have to amend its ways to retain its relevance in the run-up to half a dozen assembly polls and 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    In its political resolution passed during the Congress plenary session in Raipur in Chhattisgarh, the party said that it will adopt a central role and will go all-out in identifying and mobilising like-minded parties to challenge the BJP- in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    ALSO READ | BJP and its Chanakya of Northeast script another spectacular showing

    However, political scientist Sandeep Shastri points out that parties need to share ‘political chemistry’ besides electoral arithmetic to win elections.

    “The unity has to be seen in terms of the workers at the ground level. The important question is whether the workers at the ground level subscribe to that unity. For voters to really buy the unity argument, it has to be in terms of policy and programmes,” the political scientist said.

    Tripura results demonstrate that though Congress has gained from the alliance, it did not work for CPI (M) as its tally of 16 MLAs in 2018 fell to 11 this year. The vote share of the party was down to 24.62 per cent from 42.22 per cent in 2018. However, Congress’s vote share was up from 2 per cent in 2018 to 8.56 per cent now.

    ALSO READ | Nagaland: Smooth sail as Opposition fails to put up any contest 

    A senior Congress leader, who was part of the election campaign in Tripura, admitted that Congress workers did not transfer votes to CPM as they couldn’t come to terms with the alliance with the old rivals.

    “The alliance failed because the vote transfer from Congress didn’t happen,” he said requesting anonymity.
    Immediately after the election results, Kerala Minister PA Mohammad Riyas lashed out at Congress for the absence of its leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in the Tripura campaign.

    While the Congress takes solace from its victory in three assembly bypolls in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, political observers point out that the credit of the win largely can be attributed to the support of its allies in respective states. 

  • No meaningful opposition coalition is possible without Congress in 2024: Jairam Ramesh

    By PTI

    AWANTIPORA (J-K): The Congress must be the “fulcrum” of any Opposition alliance to take on the BJP in the 2024 general elections as no coalition can be “meaningful” or “relevant” without it, senior leader Jairam Ramesh said on Saturday.

    The Congress general secretary also said that in his view, the Congress should be preparing to fight on its own in every state in the 2029 general elections.

    In an interview with PTI, Ramesh said he would certainly put his weight behind doing another yatra from Gujarat’s Porbandar to Arunachal Pradesh’s Parshuram Kund this year but the party has to take a call on it eventually.

    “I certainly have been giving a thought to it. Now, whether the party will or not (undertake such a yatra), I cannot say. But ideally, when the Bharat Jodo Yatra was thought of in Udaipur, there was also a thought of moving from west to east,” said Ramesh, who along with Digvijaya Singh, is considered to be the brain behind the Kanyakumari to Kashmir ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, which will culminate on January 30 in Srinagar.

    Asked if the Congress would be the fulcrum of an Opposition coalition, especially after the massive cross-country march it has undertaken, Ramesh said, “I certainly believe so. It stands to reason as we are the only national political party even today (besides the BJP).”

    “We may not be in power in state after state but if you look at the presence in every village, mohalla, block, town or city, you would find Congress workers, Congress families,” he said.

    The BJP may be in power but in terms of sheer presence, the Congress is the only national political force, Ramesh claimed.

    “Just measuring our influence by the number of states we govern or the percentage of votes that we get is a very narrow perspective. The ideology of the Congress is at the Centre. It is a Centre-Left party. Every party veers around to the Congress point of view, to the middle path, the path of consensus and conciliation,” he said.

    “So yes, we are the fulcrum. If we are going to take on the BJP, it is only a coalition around the Congress (that can do so),” he added.

    ALSO READ | Disinformation stalks Rahul Gandhi on Bharat Jodo Yatra

    Addressing a press conference at the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office in Srinagar, Ramesh said after the Yatra, opposition parties will begin the process of talks and political negotiations, but the cross-country march had nothing to do with it.

    “Any opposition platform to defeat the BJP must be based on two realities – Congress must be the pivot or the fulcrum of any Opposition alliance, without the Congress, no opposition alliance is relevant or meaningful,” he said.

    “Any Opposition alliance must be based on a constructive agenda, not just a negative agenda of anti-BJP-ism or anti-government-ism. This is not the business of the Bharat Jodo Yatra which has nothing to do with elections,” Ramesh said.

    Any attempt to build a meaningful, winning coalition against the BJP must be pivoted around the Congress, he asserted.

    Asked about some Opposition leaders conveying their inability to attend the January 30 event, he said it was not a setback.

    In the interview with PTI, Ramesh said he would ideally want the Congress to take on the BJP alone but that may not be realistic in 2024.

    “My view is that, for 2029, we should be preparing to fight on our own in every state. But I am realistic that this position may not find favours within my own political party,” he said.

    He, however, added that in some states, the Congress has given too much space to its allies which is detrimental to organisation building.

    Rahul Gandhi’s key message has always been to build the organisation first and power will follow, but the Congress has reversed that sequence, he said, adding that the former party chief’s view is the right one.

    “Long years of being in power has been detrimental to the organisational vitality. With the Bharat Jodo Yatra, this (organisational vitality) has gotten a booster and momentum but that has to be sustained,” Ramesh said.

    “We cannot go back to having conflicts within the organisation between leaders, clashes among different groups. One would expect that after the Bharat Jodo Yatra, we have found a higher purpose,” he stressed.

    ALSO READ | Bharat Jodo Yatra helps Rahul Gandhi rebuild political image

    The Bharat Jodo Yatra is a great cause involving a large number of Congress workers and the largeness of the cause must reflect in our behaviour and approach when it comes to a halt, otherwise, this will just be one episode, Ramesh said.

    “I have been saying this is not an event, it is a movement. So, if we want it to be seen as a movement, we must treat it as a movement,” he added.

    Asked about personal ambitions affecting the party’s prospects in various states and how the Congress would solve Rajasthan’s Ashok Gehlot-Sachin Pilot feud, Ramesh said, “These personal ambition and personal goals have been a bane of the Congress. What the Bharat Jodo Yatra has done is that it has brought a sense of collective purpose and solidarity, and that is what is needed in state after state, including in Rajasthan.”

    The organisation has to triumph, not individual egos and ambitions, as what is good for the organisation will be good for party individuals but what may be good for an individual may not necessarily be good for the party, Ramesh said.

    Referring to the Congress organisation as a “sleeping giant,” Ramesh said the yatra has certainly given new hope to it but this is not sufficient as this has just opened an opportunity and now it depends on the organisation on different levels to take forward the momentum that has been generated.

    “It (yatra) has been a great booster dose for the organisation and people are talking of the Congress in a different light than they were five months ago,” he said.

    Talking about Gandhi’s image transformation, Ramesh said this was not the cause of the yatra but it was a consequence of the yatra. Gandhi’s image transformation among the people has been a great bonus, Ramesh said.

    “I think the BJP maligning Rahul Gandhi is not going to stop because their only game is maligning and defamation. But the credibility of what they are doing is far less than what it used to be. There will be few takes of the ‘Pappufication’ as you call it,” he asserted.

    Ramesh added that there has also been a transformation in terms of the narrative of the Congress.

    AWANTIPORA (J-K): The Congress must be the “fulcrum” of any Opposition alliance to take on the BJP in the 2024 general elections as no coalition can be “meaningful” or “relevant” without it, senior leader Jairam Ramesh said on Saturday.

    The Congress general secretary also said that in his view, the Congress should be preparing to fight on its own in every state in the 2029 general elections.

    In an interview with PTI, Ramesh said he would certainly put his weight behind doing another yatra from Gujarat’s Porbandar to Arunachal Pradesh’s Parshuram Kund this year but the party has to take a call on it eventually.

    “I certainly have been giving a thought to it. Now, whether the party will or not (undertake such a yatra), I cannot say. But ideally, when the Bharat Jodo Yatra was thought of in Udaipur, there was also a thought of moving from west to east,” said Ramesh, who along with Digvijaya Singh, is considered to be the brain behind the Kanyakumari to Kashmir ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, which will culminate on January 30 in Srinagar.

    Asked if the Congress would be the fulcrum of an Opposition coalition, especially after the massive cross-country march it has undertaken, Ramesh said, “I certainly believe so. It stands to reason as we are the only national political party even today (besides the BJP).”

    “We may not be in power in state after state but if you look at the presence in every village, mohalla, block, town or city, you would find Congress workers, Congress families,” he said.

    The BJP may be in power but in terms of sheer presence, the Congress is the only national political force, Ramesh claimed.

    “Just measuring our influence by the number of states we govern or the percentage of votes that we get is a very narrow perspective. The ideology of the Congress is at the Centre. It is a Centre-Left party. Every party veers around to the Congress point of view, to the middle path, the path of consensus and conciliation,” he said.

    “So yes, we are the fulcrum. If we are going to take on the BJP, it is only a coalition around the Congress (that can do so),” he added.

    ALSO READ | Disinformation stalks Rahul Gandhi on Bharat Jodo Yatra

    Addressing a press conference at the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office in Srinagar, Ramesh said after the Yatra, opposition parties will begin the process of talks and political negotiations, but the cross-country march had nothing to do with it.

    “Any opposition platform to defeat the BJP must be based on two realities – Congress must be the pivot or the fulcrum of any Opposition alliance, without the Congress, no opposition alliance is relevant or meaningful,” he said.

    “Any Opposition alliance must be based on a constructive agenda, not just a negative agenda of anti-BJP-ism or anti-government-ism. This is not the business of the Bharat Jodo Yatra which has nothing to do with elections,” Ramesh said.

    Any attempt to build a meaningful, winning coalition against the BJP must be pivoted around the Congress, he asserted.

    Asked about some Opposition leaders conveying their inability to attend the January 30 event, he said it was not a setback.

    In the interview with PTI, Ramesh said he would ideally want the Congress to take on the BJP alone but that may not be realistic in 2024.

    “My view is that, for 2029, we should be preparing to fight on our own in every state. But I am realistic that this position may not find favours within my own political party,” he said.

    He, however, added that in some states, the Congress has given too much space to its allies which is detrimental to organisation building.

    Rahul Gandhi’s key message has always been to build the organisation first and power will follow, but the Congress has reversed that sequence, he said, adding that the former party chief’s view is the right one.

    “Long years of being in power has been detrimental to the organisational vitality. With the Bharat Jodo Yatra, this (organisational vitality) has gotten a booster and momentum but that has to be sustained,” Ramesh said.

    “We cannot go back to having conflicts within the organisation between leaders, clashes among different groups. One would expect that after the Bharat Jodo Yatra, we have found a higher purpose,” he stressed.

    ALSO READ | Bharat Jodo Yatra helps Rahul Gandhi rebuild political image

    The Bharat Jodo Yatra is a great cause involving a large number of Congress workers and the largeness of the cause must reflect in our behaviour and approach when it comes to a halt, otherwise, this will just be one episode, Ramesh said.

    “I have been saying this is not an event, it is a movement. So, if we want it to be seen as a movement, we must treat it as a movement,” he added.

    Asked about personal ambitions affecting the party’s prospects in various states and how the Congress would solve Rajasthan’s Ashok Gehlot-Sachin Pilot feud, Ramesh said, “These personal ambition and personal goals have been a bane of the Congress. What the Bharat Jodo Yatra has done is that it has brought a sense of collective purpose and solidarity, and that is what is needed in state after state, including in Rajasthan.”

    The organisation has to triumph, not individual egos and ambitions, as what is good for the organisation will be good for party individuals but what may be good for an individual may not necessarily be good for the party, Ramesh said.

    Referring to the Congress organisation as a “sleeping giant,” Ramesh said the yatra has certainly given new hope to it but this is not sufficient as this has just opened an opportunity and now it depends on the organisation on different levels to take forward the momentum that has been generated.

    “It (yatra) has been a great booster dose for the organisation and people are talking of the Congress in a different light than they were five months ago,” he said.

    Talking about Gandhi’s image transformation, Ramesh said this was not the cause of the yatra but it was a consequence of the yatra. Gandhi’s image transformation among the people has been a great bonus, Ramesh said.

    “I think the BJP maligning Rahul Gandhi is not going to stop because their only game is maligning and defamation. But the credibility of what they are doing is far less than what it used to be. There will be few takes of the ‘Pappufication’ as you call it,” he asserted.

    Ramesh added that there has also been a transformation in terms of the narrative of the Congress.

  • ‘Uddhav not a face for 2024 Lok Sabha polls’: Shiv Sena rebel MP Rahul Shewale

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Rebel Shiv Sena leader Rahul Shewale on Thursday said Uddhav Thackeray was not a “winnable” face for the 2024 Lok Sabha election and it was imperative for them to tie up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    The issue of leadership for the next Lok Sabha polls came up during several meetings the now-rebel leaders had with Thackeray in the run-up to a split in the Shiv Sena, Shewale, who was named as the leader of the party in the Lower House of Parliament on Tuesday, told PTI.

    “I raised the issue of leadership for the Lok Sabha election during a meeting with Thackeray. Sanjay Raut, who was also present, gestured towards Thackeray as the face for the election. I told him that we respect Thackeray but we have to be realistic. He cannot be the face for the Lok Sabha polls,” he said.

    Shewale said the Shiv Sena’s alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress had further complicated matters as the parties were rivals in several constituencies.

    “Furthermore, the UPA would contest elections under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, which will not be acceptable for our cadre,” Shewale said.

    Shewale and 11 other Lok Sabha members have shifted their allegiance to Sena rebel Eknath Shinde, who was appointed the Maharashtra chief minister on June 30, after Thackeray quit the post due to a large-scale rebellion in the Shiv Sena ranks.

    Shewale insisted that a large number of Sena leaders were in favour of an alliance with the BJP and keen to contest the next Lok Sabha polls under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    He said Shiv Sena leaders began to feel insecure within the party when the leadership offered key Lok Sabha constituencies to the NCP during discussions for the general election.

    “Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, who lost to the NCP’s Amol Kolhe from Shirur, was asked to shift to the Pune Lok Sabha seat, while the Maval seat, won by the Sena’s Shrirang Appa Barne, was offered to Parth Pawar, the son of former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar,” Shewale said.

    He reiterated the claims that Thackeray was keen on reviving the Shiv Sena-BJP coalition and had discussed the issue with Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Delhi in June last year.

    Shewale did not rule out a patch up between the two rival factions of the Shiv Sena should some incident, such as the Balakot airstrikes, takes place in the future, which could lead to an upsurge of nationalism.

    “There was also a proposal of Thackeray leading the party and Shinde as the leader of the government. But it did not work out,” he said.

    NEW DELHI: Rebel Shiv Sena leader Rahul Shewale on Thursday said Uddhav Thackeray was not a “winnable” face for the 2024 Lok Sabha election and it was imperative for them to tie up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    The issue of leadership for the next Lok Sabha polls came up during several meetings the now-rebel leaders had with Thackeray in the run-up to a split in the Shiv Sena, Shewale, who was named as the leader of the party in the Lower House of Parliament on Tuesday, told PTI.

    “I raised the issue of leadership for the Lok Sabha election during a meeting with Thackeray. Sanjay Raut, who was also present, gestured towards Thackeray as the face for the election. I told him that we respect Thackeray but we have to be realistic. He cannot be the face for the Lok Sabha polls,” he said.

    Shewale said the Shiv Sena’s alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress had further complicated matters as the parties were rivals in several constituencies.

    “Furthermore, the UPA would contest elections under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, which will not be acceptable for our cadre,” Shewale said.

    Shewale and 11 other Lok Sabha members have shifted their allegiance to Sena rebel Eknath Shinde, who was appointed the Maharashtra chief minister on June 30, after Thackeray quit the post due to a large-scale rebellion in the Shiv Sena ranks.

    Shewale insisted that a large number of Sena leaders were in favour of an alliance with the BJP and keen to contest the next Lok Sabha polls under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    He said Shiv Sena leaders began to feel insecure within the party when the leadership offered key Lok Sabha constituencies to the NCP during discussions for the general election.

    “Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, who lost to the NCP’s Amol Kolhe from Shirur, was asked to shift to the Pune Lok Sabha seat, while the Maval seat, won by the Sena’s Shrirang Appa Barne, was offered to Parth Pawar, the son of former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar,” Shewale said.

    He reiterated the claims that Thackeray was keen on reviving the Shiv Sena-BJP coalition and had discussed the issue with Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Delhi in June last year.

    Shewale did not rule out a patch up between the two rival factions of the Shiv Sena should some incident, such as the Balakot airstrikes, takes place in the future, which could lead to an upsurge of nationalism.

    “There was also a proposal of Thackeray leading the party and Shinde as the leader of the government. But it did not work out,” he said.

  • Effort being made for Mamata-led confederation of regional parties to oust BJP from Centre: Akhil Gogoi

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: Activist and Assam MLA Akhil Gogoi on Sunday said an effort was being made for the formation of a confederation of regional parties in the country to try and oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP from power.

    “Our interest is that all regional political parties in the country should unite, form a confederation, project (Trinamool Congress president and West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee as its leader, unseat the fascist and communal Narendra Modi and elect a new PM in 2024,” Gogoi, who recently visited Kolkata, told journalists in Guwahati.

    “We hope the confederation of regional parties will be formed as early as possible,” he said.

    The Raijor Dal MLA said the initiative for the formation of the confederation of regional forces was also for federalism. He said an effort was being made towards this perspective.

    ALSO READ | TMC launches new slogan for Mamata Banerjee’s bypoll campaign from Bhowanipore constituency

    “The people of Assam have been fighting for federalism and a federal structure from before independence,” Gogoi said.

    He disclosed that the West Bengal CM had made an offer to him to join the TMC and merge Raijor Dal with it.

    “Mamata didi had invited me for a discussion. Their proposal was that Raijor Dal and I join the TMC at the earliest and become the TMC’s Assam unit president,” the activist said.

    He said his party would discuss the proposal and take a call. 

    “We thank Mamata didi that she invited us three times. Our leaders already had discussions with TMC leaders,” he added. 

    Raijor Dal was floated last year against the backdrop of the protests against controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Gogoi is the party’s lone MLA. He had won the elections from Sivasagar contesting as an Independent candidate.

    Asom Jatiya Parishad, another regional party floated against the backdrop of the anti-CAA protests, also contested the polls but drew a blank. 

  • 2024 Lok Sabha polls: Mamata urges Opposition parties to get united to dethrone Modi

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: Giving a clarion call to dethrone the BJP in the 2024 general elections, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged the Opposition to unite against the Narendra Modi government keeping aside all other interests. 

    Taking her ‘Khela Hobe’ pitch to the national stage, she said ‘Khela’ (game) will happen in all other states in the 2024 elections until the BJP government is derailed. She requested all non-BJP parties to start planning from now as only two-and-a-half-year is left.

    Referring to her party’s stupendous victory in the 2021 Assembly elections, Mamata, while addressing virtually on the occasion of the party’s annual Martyr’s Day event, said, “Khela ekhono sesh hoy ni. Khela hobe ebar onno shob state e jotodin na BJP utkhat hochhe kendro theke (the game is not over yet. The game will continue until the BJP is uprooted from the Centre).”

    ‘Khela Hobe’ slogan was coined by Mamata ahead of the last Assembly polls in Bengal when she lashed out at the BJP in public rallies. The TMC organises its Martyr’s Day event on July 21 every year to observe commemorate the death of 13 party workers who were gunned down during a protest march led by Mamata in 1993 under the banner of Youth Congress.

    ALSO READ | Pegasus row: Mamata says Modi govt wants to establish ‘surveillance state’, calls for Opposition unity

    Aiming to unite all oppositions under one umbrella, Mamata said, “Not even three years, only two-and-a-half-year is left. We have no time to waste planning for the general elections. We should be united. Forget your all other interests. Now we should focus on one interest which is saving the country. If we form an alliance shortly before the elections, it may not work. I will be in Delhi shortly. I propose Sharadji (Sharad Pawar) and Chidambaramji (P Chidambaram) call a meeting of opposition leaders. I will act as a worker and follow the instructions given by the leaders of the alliance.”

    Mamata’s call to unite the opposition parties on Wednesday is said to be her first move to venture into national politics ahead of the 2024 general elections.

    She also hinted at a mega rally in Kolkata in the coming months. “I could not organise a meeting in Bengal because of the pandemic situation. I will organise an event at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata in the coming winter inviting all leaders of opposition parties,” she tweeted.

    For the first time, the TMC organised the screening of Mamata’s virtual address in Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and other states showcasing her as a face of anti-BJP. Underlining the national emphasis of her speech, Mamata spoke for 45 minutes in Bengali, Hindi, and English.

    At the beginning of her speech, Mamata thanked Congress leaders P Chidambaram, Digvijay Singh, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Priyanka Chaturvedi of Shiv Sena, Jaya Bachhan of Samajwadi Party, and representatives Akali Dal, DMK, and other parties for attending the event at the Constitution Club in Delhi.

  • Mamata Banerjee thinks big, preps to become face of Opposition in 2024 Lok Sabha polls

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA:  Her image of a “street fighter” firmly established following TMC’s thumping win over the BJP in the West Bengal Assembly elections, Mamata Banerjee will now try to galvanise other parties to fight against the saffron brigade in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

    Set to be sworn in as the chief minister of the state for the third time on Wednesday, she said her party will celebrate the landslide victory at Kolkata’s famed Brigade Parade Ground, but only after the Covid-19 situation gets better. Leaders from other states will be invited to her victory parade.

    “I am a street fighter. I can boost people so that we can fight against BJP. One cannot do everything alone. I think all together, we can fight the battle for 2024. But let’s fight Covid first,” said Mamata on Monday.

    ALSO READ: Bengal tigress Mamata Banerjee overtrumps Hindutva card

    Mamata’s statement is seen as an indication that she is going to play a key role in mobilising other forces and bring them together on a common platform to challenge the mighty BJP.

    With an impressive performance in the Assembly elections where her party bagged 213 seats, the West Bengal chief minister is going to play a role in national politics, said a TMC leader.

    Mamata said many political leaders and chief ministers called and congratulated her. “But this is the first time I have not received any call from the Prime Minister. He may be busy with other affairs,” said Mamata who suffered a narrow loss in Nandigram under controversial circumstances.

    ALSO READ: Mamata Banerjee – From Bengal’s daughter to the nation’s Didi

    Mamata’s announcement of inviting the leaders from other states is said to be aimed at forming an alternative force against BJP.

    During the elections, she wrote to several chief ministers and leaders, who are not part of the NDA, asking them to unite against the Centre’s decisions which are “against the interest of the common people”.

    On the day of the Bengal election results, Mamata tried to build pressure on the Central government on the vaccine issue.

    She threatened a sit-in demonstration if the Centre doesn’t give free vaccines to all the citizens of India. She is also among the opposition leaders who wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday demanding free vaccination.

    “About Rs 30,000 crore is required to give free vaccines to all and allotting that amount is not an issue for the Central government. BJP has spent huge money in Bengal elections. Had they used a part of it, people would have got free vaccines,” Mamata said. The Congress-Left wipeout