INDIA bloc formed for 2024 Lok Sabha Polls: Congress leader Manickam Tagore

Congress leader defends party against accusations of contributing to BJP's victory in Delhi elections, citing lack of alliance with AAP.

With Congress fielding barbs from partners in INDIA bloc on Delhi elections results, where many have accused it of contributing to the BJP’s victory senior Congress leader Manickam Tagore, said that the blame on the Congress is misplaced, since AAP ruled out an alliance in Delhi and that the INDIA bloc was created for 2024 general elections. 

“Our alliance partners should understand that they are raising fingers at the wrong party. They should direct their criticism to the party that is actually responsible for breaking the INDIA bloc in Delhi,” Mr. Tagore said, pointing that former Delhi CM and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had announced on December 1 last year, that the AAP will contest Delhi polls alone. 

The INDIA bloc leaders have not met since the Lok Sabha results in June last year. Though the bloc’s name is invoked by several of its constituents, it remains in suspended animation with no joint programmes or campaigns. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, pointing at this, had called for a formal disbanding of the bloc. 

“The INDIA bloc was meant for the General Elections 2024, to channelise anti-Modi, anti-BJP, anti-RSS forces and that was done. We are coordinating in Parliament. When Rahul Gandhi spoke in Lok Sabha during the motion of thanks to the President, he spoke of an alternate vision. He did not call it Congress’s vision, he called the INDIA bloc’s vision,” Mr. Tagore added. Mr. Tagore, who is Congress’s whip in Lok Sabha said that all the bloc’s constituents are working closely in Parliament. 

Mr. Tagore pointed out that even during the general elections, the INDIA bloc’s electoral strategy differed from state to state. In Delhi AAP and Congress had an electoral understanding, while in Punjab they did not. He also cited the example of CPI(M) and Congress, who have electoral understanding in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu but in Kerala are political rivals. 

Reacting to the recent sound bytes from the allies, some who called the Congress to introspect, the others blamed their arrogance, Mr. Tagore said that such remarks adversely impact the bloc. “We are very humble and polite, which is why we are keeping mum even when all this is said,” Mr. Tagore added.