After suffering electoral losses in Haryana and Maharashtra and registering a poor performance in Jammu, Kashmir, and Jharkhand, the Congress has received yet another blow. The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party has made it clear in the most unambiguous terms that it would go solo in the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025. While the decision sent strong shock waves to the grand old party, it also exposed the chinks in the opposition bloc of INDIA.
Though the former Delhi Chief Minister had earlier rejected any alliance with the Congress, political observers keenly watched the talks between senior NCP leader Sharad Pawar and Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi. The AAP termed it as a talk to strengthen the INDIA bloc, it did not elaborate.
Congress Bid To Keep AAP In Good Humour
Earlier, the Congress organized the Delhi Nyaya Yatra to organize support before the poll campaign was launched. It came to an end on December 7.
Congress’ central leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi, were scheduled to participate in the programme, but no one took part lest it anger the AAP.
The programme was planned to point out the mistakes made by the Delhi government and target Arvind Kejriwal on multiple issues, including corruption charges.
The Congress realized that it would not be a good move to attack AAP when the leaders of the two parties were holding parleys to strike a deal.
Congress Strategy Fails
However, the Congress strategy fell flat after AAP leader Raghav Chaddha once again said that there was no possibility of an electoral alliance with the grand old party.
He said that the AAP won elections on its own in 2015 and 2020 and would go solo alone in 2025 as well. The AAP won 28 seats in 2013, 67 seats in 2015 and 62 seats in 2020 in the 70-member Delhi Assembly.
Political analysts believe, the grass-root level worker of neither of the two parties were interested in making an alliance and working together.
Why Are Workers Of AAP, Congress Against Alliance?
The AAP leaders believe, if they strike a deal with the Congress and leave seats, their local-level leaders aspiring to get tickets and further strengthen their political careers would revolt, or at least, they would not work wholeheartedly.
Secondly, the Arvind Kejriwal party is confident of winning the election on their own strength and so do not want to share the spoils with someone else.
On the other hand, Congress workers and local leaders too do not want the party to ally with the AAP. They believe, the ruling party has eaten into their support base and may further weaken them if they do not fight back.
Also Read: No-Confidence Motion Against Jagdeep Dhankhar: Strategic Move Or Political Showdown?
Secondly, the Congress workers want to target Arvind Kejriwal on corruption charges and issues of governance. They want to have an independent policy and presence so that they carve out their own space to change the political dynamics of the state.
Congress Leadership’s Plan
However, the central leadership of the Congress wanted to strike a deal with the AAP in order to show unity in the INDIA bloc. It made compromises in the Jharkhand assembly elections and walked extra mile to accommodate the NCP and the SP for the bigger cause.
Congress Party earlier exhibited this magnanimity to the AAP, which did not share seats with the grand old party in Punjab, where it was confident of winning the polls on its own. It was the Congress, from which the Kejriwal-led party snatched power in Punjab.
Political analysts believe, the AAP also created problems for the Congress in Gujarat and Goa.
When it came to Delhi, the ruling party refused to make any concession to Congress.
The war is declared, the knives are out, the line of no return has been drawn and the chessboard has been set.
Bickering Within INDIA
The Congress has got this rude shock at a time when the INDIA bloc is under pressure and the leadership of Rahul Gandhi has been challenged.
The bickering between the Congress and the TMC increased during the West Bengal Assembly Elections in 2021 and escalated further. It went to such an extent that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee publicly offered to lead the opposition bloc of INDIA.
RJD patriarch and former Bihar Chief Minister came out in her favour and supported her openly. Political observers believe he might have done so keeping in mind the West Bengal Assembly elections in which the TMC could give the RJD concessions. Mamata Banerjee thanks those who supported her.
Mamata Banerjee Challenges Rahul Gandhi
The TMC also made its intentions clear at the outset of the winter session of the Parliament as it did not evince interest in stalling the house proceedings with the Congress.
Though its MP Mahua Moitra was forced to leave Lok Sabh in the most unceremonious way when it was expelled from Parliament after, as she alleged, she raked up the issue of Adani, the party refused to join hands with the Congress on the Adani issue.
The TMC lapped up the opportunity when the Congress planned to move a no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jugdeep Dhankar, who had left no stone unturned to create problems for Mamata Banerjee when he was the Governor of the state.
The TMC strategy can be understood by the fact that it has supported nthe o-confidence motion to bolster INDIA, but it has questioned its leadership as well.
Which direction is the opposition alliance going to? Will it be able to take on an energetic, enthusiastic and resourceful BJP, buoyed on electoral successes?
