Bengal Congress Chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary recently criticised Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her stay in a hotel during her Spain trip, which cost Rs 3 lakh per day. Additionally, he lambasted the state TMC government for its perceived failure to handle the dengue outbreak in the state. He even went so far as to suggest that dengue was “sponsored by the state government”. In response, the TMC was quick to suggest the Congress leader remember and respect their alliance partner. TMC advised Chowdhary to uphold the coalition dharma and refrain from attacking the TMC in Bengal.
This is not the first time Chowdhary has criticised TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee. Such confrontations have happened on numerous occasions. But since both the Congress and Mamata are now part of the INDIA Block, there is an expectation of understanding, which seems to prevail at the national level but not within the state.
Bengal isn’t the only state where INDIA Block members are at odds. In Punjab and Delhi, Congress state leaders have openly declared intentions of contesting all Lok Sabha seats independently, urging central leaders to avoid aligning with Arvind Kejriwal.
Interestingly, the SP supremo campaigned today in Madhya Pradesh for the upcoming state elections. On the stage, he clarified, “Yes, we are part of the INDIA alliance, but our party’s strengthening is paramount.” The Samajwadi Party appears prepared to contest the Madhya Pradesh elections without any understanding with the Congress.
Arvind Kejriwal is currently campaigning in election-bound states, seeking votes for his party. However, when he campaigns in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, where Congress is in power, he does so to challenge them for the sake of his party’s growth.
During the last alliance meeting, there was consensus to leave assembly elections out of the discussions and focus solely on the 2024 elections, aiming to present a united front against Modi. However, recent remarks by INDIA Block leaders against one another will likely add pressure on the senior members of the alliance. They might need to reconsider their stance on assembly elections before setting sights on the 2024 general elections.