NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge again played down his name being floated as the leader of the INDIA bloc and said it was more important that the anti-BJP coalition wins the seats nationally, besides performing well in Bihar.
Kharge’s remark came in a meeting with Bihar Congress leaders where it was said that his name being proposed for the alliance leadership during the recent INDIA meeting has had a good impact. Kharge’s alacrity in dismissing it echoed what he did in the meeting of opposition leaders last week, as well in his comments to the media, a move reflecting the concern that it can spark internal tussle in the alliance.Kharge and Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday held a meeting with the state units of Bihar, J&K and Ladakh, and Punjab, over preparations for 2024 polls. Meanwhile, no Punjab leader spoke in favour of an alliance with AAP barring Navjot Sidhu, who said the fight was against BJP. Some spoke strongly against a pact, arguing the state government was victimising the party workers. However, they left the decision on the leadership.
Congress said it will fight the LS polls in Bihar as part of the alliance of JDU, RJD and the Left. Rahul is said to have told the state leaders that Congress in the long term will have to create a loyal votebase in Bihar like RJD, JDU and BJP which are known as the home of certain social groups. While no discussion on seats took place in the deliberations, some leaders told the leadership that the party should seek a good number to contest, with focus on winnable constituencies. The seat-sharing issues in ten states will be discussed in the meeting of the AICC’s “committee on alliances” on December 29-30.
In J&K, Congress believes that the INDIA alliance is unbeatable in the four seats of Kashmir valley and Ladakh. The J&K leaders told the party brass that there is anger on the ground over bifurcation of the erstwhile state and its downgrading into two UTs, and the voters are looking to punish BJP. While the local leaders sought a respectable division of seats with allies PDP and NC, it is learnt that Congress expects to fight the two seats in Jammu, while supporting the local outfits in Kashmir and Ladakh.
Many Bihar leaders spoke about Congress’s espousal of the caste census, which they said was having a good impact on the ground. It was argued that INDIA alliance is the strongest in Bihar in the entire northern region, and the party and allies should maximise the gains in the LS polls.
But some remarked that the Congress policy has been of taking along all the social groups. A minister and some MLAs are said to have complained that Congress is not heard in the alliance led by Nitish Kumar.
Kharge’s remark came in a meeting with Bihar Congress leaders where it was said that his name being proposed for the alliance leadership during the recent INDIA meeting has had a good impact. Kharge’s alacrity in dismissing it echoed what he did in the meeting of opposition leaders last week, as well in his comments to the media, a move reflecting the concern that it can spark internal tussle in the alliance.Kharge and Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday held a meeting with the state units of Bihar, J&K and Ladakh, and Punjab, over preparations for 2024 polls. Meanwhile, no Punjab leader spoke in favour of an alliance with AAP barring Navjot Sidhu, who said the fight was against BJP. Some spoke strongly against a pact, arguing the state government was victimising the party workers. However, they left the decision on the leadership.
Congress said it will fight the LS polls in Bihar as part of the alliance of JDU, RJD and the Left. Rahul is said to have told the state leaders that Congress in the long term will have to create a loyal votebase in Bihar like RJD, JDU and BJP which are known as the home of certain social groups. While no discussion on seats took place in the deliberations, some leaders told the leadership that the party should seek a good number to contest, with focus on winnable constituencies. The seat-sharing issues in ten states will be discussed in the meeting of the AICC’s “committee on alliances” on December 29-30.
In J&K, Congress believes that the INDIA alliance is unbeatable in the four seats of Kashmir valley and Ladakh. The J&K leaders told the party brass that there is anger on the ground over bifurcation of the erstwhile state and its downgrading into two UTs, and the voters are looking to punish BJP. While the local leaders sought a respectable division of seats with allies PDP and NC, it is learnt that Congress expects to fight the two seats in Jammu, while supporting the local outfits in Kashmir and Ladakh.
Many Bihar leaders spoke about Congress’s espousal of the caste census, which they said was having a good impact on the ground. It was argued that INDIA alliance is the strongest in Bihar in the entire northern region, and the party and allies should maximise the gains in the LS polls.
But some remarked that the Congress policy has been of taking along all the social groups. A minister and some MLAs are said to have complained that Congress is not heard in the alliance led by Nitish Kumar.
‘More concerned about winning the LS election …’ Mallikarjun Kharge on INDIA bloc’s PM face
Credit: Source link