Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Thursday showed concerns about the INDIA bloc, saying he was not sure if the 'opposition alliance was still intact'.
The BJP responded sharply, saying even Rahul Gandhi's close aides know the Congress has no future.
What did Chidambaram say?
Speaking at the launch of Salman Khurshid and Mritunjay Singh Yadav's book "Contesting Democratic Deficit", Chidambaram also said he felt that it showed at the seams that the alliance was frayed, PTI reported.
"The future (of the INDIA bloc) is not so bright, as Mritunjay Singh Yadav said. He seems to feel that the alliance is still intact, but I am not sure. It is only Salman (Khurshid) who can answer because he was part of the negotiating team for the INDIA bloc. If the alliance is totally intact, I will be very happy. But it shows at the seams that it is frayed," Chidambaram, a Rajya Sabha MP, said.
The Congress leader also hoped that the alliance could "still be put together, as they are fighting against a formidable machinery, which must be fought on all fronts.
"In my experience and my reading of history, there has been no political party so formidably organised as the BJP. It's not just another political party. It's a machine behind a machine, and the two machines control all the machinery in India.
BJP's Sharp Response
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pradeep Bhandari shared a video on his X handle, saying, "Opposition won't be intact in the future; BJP is a formidable organisation."
He further wrote, "Even Rahul Gandhi's close aides know Congress has no future!
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, former Union Minister and newly appointed BJP Kerala unit chief, chimed in, dismissing the opposition bloc as a "motley collection" united only by their "love for corruption.
He said on his X handle, "The BJP is a formidable party because it believes in strong values/principles of India First, and cares for all Indians 바카라 and so has the support of most Indians."
Is this ahead of the Bihar election?
The remarks come months ahead of the Bihar assembly elections, where the RJD-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parties are contesting together against the NDA led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United.
India Bloc is a coalition of several political parties in India led by the country's largest opposition party Congress. The alliance has come in opposition to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Chidambaram said, "From the Election Commission to the lowest police station in the country, they (BJP) are able to control and sometimes capture these institutions. It is a formidable machinery, as much as can be allowed in a democracy," as quoted by PTI.
In their book, Khurshid and Yadav examine the Congress party's revival attempts leading up to the recent Lok Sabha elections, including the emotionally charged Bharat Jodo Yatra and the formation of the INDIA bloc, a coalition of diverse political forces.
Khurshid and Yadav recount how the opposition parties rallied "to defend the idea of an inclusive, pluralistic India".
The Congress leader added that if the 2029 general elections take a decisive turn to strengthen the BJP, 바카라we are beyond repair바카라.
바카라The 2029 elections are critical and must return us to a full-fledged democracy," he said.
"We need to address the concerns. The takeaway from Chidambaram's views is that we have to be prepared for a very major battle in 2029. We have to deal with the whole idea of how to get the alliance partners together," he added.
(With PTI Inputs)
