NEW DELHI: Amid concerns of internal discord within INDIA bloc, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav dismissed speculations of a rift, saying that the alliance remains intact. Speaking confidently about its cohesion, Yadav said, “The INDIA alliance is intact.”
“The INDIA alliance was formed to unite regional parties against the BJP. The Samajwadi Party remains committed to strengthening this alliance and stands firmly with parties fighting against the BJP,” he added.
His statement came amid mixed signals from other key leaders in the opposition. Congress MP Manish Tewari reiterated the alliance’s broader purpose, saying, “The INDIA alliance was created to safeguard the soul of the country, not merely to contest the Lok Sabha elections. It delivered a strong performance, which curbed BJP’s dominance in many regions. The future course will be decided collectively by all alliance leaders.”
However, not all voices within the bloc have been as optimistic. Responding to the media queries over the time limit for the INDIA bloc, Abdullah said, “As far as I remember, there was no time limit set on this. Unfortunately, since no meeting of the INDIA bloc is being called, there is no clarity on this—neither regarding leadership, nor the agenda, nor whether we will continue or not. Perhaps the elections in Delhi will happen. After that, it would be good if all the stakeholders of the INDIA bloc are called, and there is clarity on whether this was only for the parliamentary elections.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut voiced dissatisfaction, placing blame on Congress for failing to maintain unity after the elections. “I agree with Omar Abdullah’s concerns. While we achieved promising results in the Lok Sabha elections, it was Congress’s responsibility, as the largest stakeholder, to keep the alliance united and chart a cohesive path forward,” Raut said.
He further mentioned, “Leaders like Omar Abdullah, Mamta Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Arvind Kejriwal all say that the INDIA alliance has no existence now.”
Meanwhile, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal distanced himself from tying the upcoming Delhi assembly elections to the alliance, framing it instead as a direct contest between his party and the BJP. “The Delhi elections are about the AAP and BJP, not the INDIA bloc,” Kejriwal clarified.
However, Kejriwal also expressed gratitude for the support of leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, and Uddhav Thackeray.
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