NEW DELHI: The assembly elections was supposed to be the first electoral test of opposition’s INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc, which was formed with much fanfare to take on the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. However, the state polls have actually ended up exposing the chinks in the opposition alliance. After three meetings and several claims of united fight, INDIA seems to have lost its momentum.
National Conference leader and former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday admitted that the opposition alliance was on a sticky wicket, especially in the poll-bound states. “It is unfortunate that the condition of INDIA Alliance is not strong right now. There are some internal fights which should not be there, especially in the 4 to 5 states where there are elections,” the former J&K CM said.

‘INDIA alliance not in good shape’: Omar Abdullah says infighting among Opposition group making it weak

Omar Abdullah warned that the open bickering between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party did not augur well for the opposition alliance. “The way fight between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress surfaced and the claims by both that they will contest all seats in Uttar Pradesh is not good for the INDIA Alliance,” Omar said.
The National Conference leader hoped that the parties would meet again after the state elections and try to sit and work together.
In the last meeting of INDIA held in Mumbai, the opposition parties had resolved to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections together “as far as possible.” They had also agreed that the seat-sharing arrangements in different states will be initiated immediately and concluded at the earliest in a “collaborative spirit of give-and-take.”

However, the spirit of give and take was clearly missing in Madhya Pradesh leading to open war of words between the Congress and Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party. Upset with the developments in MP, Akhilesh Yadav accused the Congress of betrayal in Madhya Pradesh and warned the grand old party that it will get the same treatment in Uttar Pradesh. The SP chief also alleged that some Congress leaders were in cahoots with the BJP.
The INDIA parties, which also includes the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), failed to reach an agreement on seat sharing for the assembly elections and will contest against each other on many seats in not just Madhya Pradesh but also in the poll-bound states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
With Congress ruling the states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, there have been a spate of accusations and counter-accusations between the partners of INDIA.
Clearly the Congress, which has huge stakes in the three states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, seems unwilling to share any space to its allies in the assembly elections. The Congress would perhaps not mind a tit-for-tat treatment in states where its allies are the dominant partners as it would give the grand old party the leeway to contest more seats in those states.
It remains to be seen if the INDIA partners can forget the bitterness of the assembly elections to unite again ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Watch ‘INDIA alliance not in good shape’: Omar Abdullah says infighting among Opposition group making it weak





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