New Delhi: Former poll strategist, Prashant Kishor slammed the opposition parties’ INDIA alliance in Bihar’s Madhubani district Sunday saying that they lack cohesion and clarity in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He likened the bloc to a loose coalition of bricks without any cement to bind them together.
Speaking about the cracks in the alliance during a press conference Sunday, Kishor said, “They (INDIA alliance partners) are like separate bricks. You need some cement to keep them together. That cement is missing, that narrative is missing. The narrative or a leader acts as a cement.”
Kishor, who has been undertaking a padyatra across Bihar since 2 October last year, pointed out the growing differences among the INDIA partners, especially between the Congress and the regional parties. He cited recent statements of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as examples of the discord within the alliance.
“INDIA alliance, as of now, has not started (spreading) any narrative or common minimum programme or any outreach. That’s why you see that Nitish Kumar, two days back, said that Congress is not serious. Then you heard what happened in Akhileshji’s case in Madhya Pradesh,” he said.
“As elections draw closer, you will see more contradictions emerge,” he added.
‘They haven’t done much’
Nitish Kumar had expressed his frustration with the Congress last week in Patna, saying that the party was more focused on the five assembly polls and had not taken any initiative to lead the INDIA coalition.
“In the INDIA coalition, all of us had agreed to assign the Congress the leading role. But it appears they will respond and call the next meeting only after they are through with the ongoing elections,” said Nitish.
On the other hand, cracks between the Congress and Samajwadi Party were out in the open after failed talks on seat-sharing in Madhya Pradesh.
The Samajwadi Party had accused the Congress of “working on the agenda of the BJP” after the talks on seat sharing in Madhya Pradesh failed. The party had also criticised MP Congress chief Kamal Nath for giving an interview to one of the 14 anchors “boycotted” by INDIA parties.
Speaking about the current situation of the INDIA bloc, Kishor said, “In the last four months, they have met four times and changed their name from UPA to INDIA. After that, they have neither announced their programme nor have they done any activity on the ground.”
“They have not even announced their leader. They haven’t started any andolan on the issues of public,” he claimed.
“As of now, that’s their situation. Going forward, if they do anything good, then I will comment on that. Right now they haven’t done much,” he added.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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