New Delhi: The upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled for February 5th, are exposing fissures within the opposition’s INDIA bloc, a coalition formed to challenge the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) at the national stage.
The unexpected show of support for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from both the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) has sparked speculation of a significant rift within the alliance, particularly concerning the Congress party, which is running alone in the Delhi polls.
The TMC, led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, publicly announced its support for AAP, stating that they “have (AAP’s) back.” This followed a similar endorsement from SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. The irony is palpable; both AAP and Congress are members of the INDIA bloc nationally, yet they are direct competitors in the Delhi elections. Congress is contesting all 70 seats.
AAP Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed his gratitude to both Banerjee and Yadav via X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the unusual nature of this cross-alliance support. While these endorsements might seem like simple gestures of political pragmatism, they raise crucial questions about the INDIA bloc’s cohesion.
“TMC has announced support to AAP in Delhi elections. I am personally grateful to Mamata Didi. Thank you, Didi. You have always supported and blessed us in our good and bad times,” the former Delhi Chief Minister said.
The current situation fuels existing speculation about leadership within the INDIA bloc. Mamata Banerjee has openly expressed her desire to lead the coalition, a move that has reportedly put pressure on the Congress party, who are seen by many as facing a leadership crisis. The support from both the SP and TMC appears to be a direct challenge to Congress’s position. The support for AAP is particularly noteworthy since it appears to directly undermine Congress’s election strategy. Sharad Pawar of the NCP and Lalu Prasad Yadav of the RJD have also publicly backed Banerjee’s leadership ambitions, further intensifying pressure on Congress.
Minutes later, Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien responded to Kejriwal’s post, saying: “We have your back @AamAadmiParty.”
According to the experts, the Delhi elections will see a three-way contest between AAP, BJP, and Congress. While AAP swept the previous two elections, Congress, once a dominant force in Delhi, is now contesting the polls alone after briefly allying with AAP for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Experts believe that the outcome of these elections and the post-election scenarios could significantly impact the future of the INDIA bloc, particularly how it operates in the face of internal conflict and competing power dynamics between its member parties.
