On Sunday, JD(U) chief spokesperson KC Tyagi said that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s statement that the INDIA alliance would meet in “10 to 15 days” to decide appointments to key posts has not “gone down well” with the party.
New Delhi: Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal (United) has frowned upon the delay by Congress in the appointment of a convener of the INDIA bloc of Opposition parties in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The party, which has been pushing to appoint Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as the convener of the bloc, on Sunday came out openly in criticism against the Congress, stating that the INDIA bloc was “running out of time and ideas” to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party.
On Sunday, JD(U) chief spokesperson KC Tyagi said that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s statement that the INDIA alliance would meet in “10 to 15 days” to decide appointments to key posts has not “gone down well” with the party.
“We are running out of time and ideas We still have time to catch up. But it is Congress that has to show urgency to see a vibrant INDIA bloc,” Tyagi told The Indian Express.
The JD(U) leader also questioned why the Congress was organising a Yatra of its own instead of turning it into a show of strength by the entire Opposition. Tyagi’s remark came in reference to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra scheduled to be undertaken from January 14 to March 20.
Tyagi said that while the BJP has stolen a march over the Opposition with an enormous build-up for the Ram Temple inauguration and the Opposition also needs to offer a sound counter-narrative of the caste census demand and other issues.
“The Congress has embarked on its yatra. Rather, it should have been an INDIA Yatra in which all top alliance leaders could have participated. The Congress did not consult any of its allies before charting its Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. We welcome their yatra but it was not a good time to start it,” Tyagi said.
The JD(U) leader further said that the Opposition bloc is still in a confused state and could be caught napping if the Lok Sabha elections are announced soon after the inauguration of the Ram Temple. “We still do not have clarity on seat-sharing, agenda, and leadership roles. Congress should show its large-heartedness, shedding its big-brotherly attitude,” Tyagi added.
Pointing to the growing rift between Opposition parties on the issue of seat-sharing, Tyagi said that allies speaking in different voices was a matter of serious concern. He made a specific mention of West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanding President’s Rule following the attack on the ED team, CPI MP Binoy Viswam questioning the propriety of Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad and the DMK and Congress sparring in Tamil Nadu.
“The Congress should take immediate steps to stop the INDIA bloc from drifting away,” Tyagi said, adding that the Congress should try to accommodate its allies in Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana. “We do want a stronger Congress but also a stronger INDIA bloc. The Congress should not also create confusion in the mind of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav by being reportedly in touch with the BSP as well,” he said.
