Cracks in the INDIA opposition bloc are out in the open, yet again, as the Congress found its key allies missing from a joint opposition protest in the Parliament complex this morning. The Congress members and some allies – led by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi – staged a protest on the Adani issue. But the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party’s absence exposed a lack of unity – months after the parties united for the national elections.
Trinamool Congress had skipped a key meeting of the INDIA bloc yesterday, suggesting that the Congress had only one agenda and that was different from theirs. Party sources said they want to raise six key issues in the parliament, including inflation, unemployment, funds crunch and the Manipur unrest, but the Congress wants to press only the Adani issue. This, they said, led to the party leaders opting to skip the meeting held at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s chamber.
The second jolt to the opposition unity came this morning as the Samajwadi Party – the third largest party in the Lok Sabha after the BJP and the Congress – skipped the joint protest.
Taking a jibe at the opposition alliance, BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya said that wherever Congress goes, they are rejected by the public.
“You can see the condition of the alliance. Sometimes Trinamool is missing, and sometimes AAP is missing. Wherever Congress goes to the people, the public rejects them. The Congress now has just one place – Parliament Gate or not allowing the House to function. That is the agenda of Congress,” said Mr Bhattacharya.