BY PC Bureau
In a significant political development, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)n chief Sharad Pawar has praised the strength and dedication of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) while addressing his party workers in Mumbai. Pawar’s comments came amid growing speculation about the future of the India Alliance.
Pawar lauded the RSS for its strong commitment to its ideology, noting that the organization has cadres who display unwavering loyalty and dedication to the Hindutva ideology, regardless of the political climate. He urged his own party workers to follow this example and work towards creating a base that is committed to the progressive ideologies of historical figures such as Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, BR Ambedkar, and political stalwart Yashwantrao Chavan.
Pawar’s remarks also reflected on the NCP’s poor performance in the November Maharashtra assembly elections, where the party won only 10 out of nearly 90 seats. This came after a strong showing in the April-May Lok Sabha elections, where the NCP secured eight out of the 10 seats it contested.
Pawar admitted that complacency after the Lok Sabha success had contributed to the party’s poor performance. He specifically pointed to a failure to communicate the NCP’s contributions to the upliftment of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), a significant vote bank. Pawar also pledged that 50 percent of the tickets in upcoming local body elections would be allotted to fresh faces, signaling an overhaul of the party to ensure future success.
Sanjay Raut’s Statement: Opposition Unity in the Spotlight
Amidst this backdrop, Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) leader Sanjay Raut has voiced concerns over the state of the opposition. Speaking to reporters today, Raut warned that the opposition must be united if it is to challenge the BJP effectively. He emphasized the need for clarity in the opposition’s strategy and urged various parties to come together under a common banner, rather than indulging in internal conflicts. Raut’s call for unity echoes the wider sentiment within opposition ranks that a fragmented opposition will only play into the hands of the BJP, which continues to consolidate power across India.
“No meeting of INDI Alliance has been held till now after the Lok Sabha elections. This is not good for India alliance. Tejashwi, Mamata, Akhilesh and Omar Abdullah all say that the India alliance does not exist, if this kind of feeling comes in the minds of people then the biggest party of the alliance, Congress, is responsible for it,” he said.
Lamenting the lack of communication in the alliance, he saud uif the alliance was not needed then we should formally declare it.
. “There is no communication, no dialogue, no discussion. Everything is not well in the INDI alliance, people have doubts about it. If it is the role of Congress Party that an alliance was formed for the Lok Sabha elections, now it is not needed then it should announce it,” he added.
Expressing concern over the rivalry between AAP and Congress in the upcoming Delhi elections 2025. Eraut said members of the INDI bloc should focus on opposing BJP in both National capital and union. “… AAP and Congress, who are the members of the INDIA Alliance, are contesting (the Delhi elections)… The dates will be announced but a fight is going on before that. All the contestants are making allegations against each other. This is not right,” he said.
“Congress and AAP were fighting the Lok Sabha elections together… But the situation which has formed in the Vidhan Sabha elections, it looks as if they are trying to help the BJP. Our fight should be against the BJP… The level at which the fight between AAP and Congress is going on, the public is watching it. The people will question us regarding our behaviour when we go for the Lok Sabha elections the next time… Fighting the elections against each other is fine but there should be dignity and patience because we have to come together sooner or later..,” Sanjay Raut added.
Omar Abdullah on the ‘India Alliance’ and its Prospects
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has also expressed dismay over the functioning of the India alliance.
.Speaking on the relevance of this alliance, Abdullah pointed out that while the alliance may seem like a promising avenue for opposition unity, it will only be successful if it manages to address the diverse political ideologies and regional aspirations of its constituents.
Abdullah emphasized that the alliance cannot afford to be merely an anti-BJP front; it must present an alternative vision for the country, one that resonates with the masses. “A successful alliance requires both unity of purpose and a clear, coherent vision for governance,” Abdullah remarked. He acknowledged that while the opposition parties have made some strides in coming together, the real challenge lies in maintaining that unity in the long run, especially when faced with the BJP’s well-oiled electoral machinery and ideological appeal.
