The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Tuesday advised the Congress to take all allies together if it wants to strengthen the opposition INDIA bloc and pitched for appointing a “sarthi” (charioteer) to steer the alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
An editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ also suggested the Congress, which is celebrating completion of its 138 years, to resolve to win minimum 150 seats (on its own) in the general elections due next year.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT), which is a constituent of the INDIA bloc, underlined that the results of the recent assembly polls in three states – Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh – do not indicate ultimate win for the BJP.
The opposition INDIA bloc will hold a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday to deliberate on a blueprint for a joint campaign, seat sharing and redrawing the strategy for taking on the BJP in the 2024 general elections after the setback in the recent assembly polls.
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the INDIA bloc’s prime ministerial candidate will be decided after the 2024 general elections.
The editorial in ’Saamana’ on Tuesday said, “The Congress should resolve to win at least 150 seats in the 2024 general elections and it is possible only when the INDIA alliance remains strong.”
It also targeted the Congress for not taking opposition parties along in polls to the three states. “The Congress wanted to taste win in the three states alone and that is why it kept the regional parties and alliances at bay. It is being said that wherever the Congress senses a possibility of winning elections on its own, it does not take anyone along and in this self pride, the Congress inflicted damage on itself and the INDIA alliance,” it claimed.
The importance of the INDIA alliance should be increased, it opined. “The chariot of the INDIA alliance has 27 horses (referring to 27 parties which are part of the opposition bloc) but it does not have a ’sarthi’. In the absence of the ’sarthi’, the chariot is stuck in the ground. The INDIA alliance needs a convener,” the editorial said.
Those who say there is no need for a convener, they are damaging the INDIA bloc. A “sarthi” needs to be appointed, it said, adding that the decision needs to be made in the December 19 meeting and accordingly steps should to be taken. The INDIA alliance has many experienced and wise leaders, the Marathi daily pointed out.
“It also needs to decide who will be the face of the INDIA Alliance in 2024. The decision will have to be taken who will be the face against Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi). Saying that we have several PM faces and there are plenty of choices is nothing but self-consolation,” it added.
The editorial quoted Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar’s statement that the Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar group) should understand the importance of the alliance and noted that German dictator Adolf Hitler was defeated just because of the unity of several nations.
“The goal of the opposition INDIA alliance should be to defeat Hitler and the victory of INDIA,” it said. “The results in the three states do not indicate ultimate win for the BJP. Modi-Shah (referring to PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah) are not undefeatable, but for that the INDIA bloc should remain strong and undeterred,” the editorial said.
The fight in 2024 will be against Modi-Shah’s new BJP, against the EVMs, money power and central agencies as the slogan of “Abki Baar Charsau Paar” is being given (by the ruling party) riding on these things, it claimed.
“On this backdrop, the INDIA alliance has a meeting in Delhi today and it is good that the Congress has taken a lead, but it would be interesting to see how many parties come together,” the editorial said.
It claimed that Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party is fighting a lone battle against the BJP as some of the senior AAP leaders are in jail. “In such a case, the Congress, as a brig brother, should come forward and show a sense of unity,” the Marathi publication said.
Though results of recent assembly polls in three states are not very energetic for the INDIA alliance, the BJP should also not go overboard as the Congress received 40 per cent votes, it said.
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