After BJP’s victory in three states, Congress faces tough INDIA bloc equation

Congress party’s plan to postpone seat-sharing negotiations with other INDIA bloc members for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections has backfired due to its humiliating loss in three states among the Hindi heartland states in the most recent round of assembly polls.

Congress’s delay in seat talks has infuriated the non-Congress members of the bloc, who are also beginning to wonder if the Congress is the “weakest link” in the coalition given its performance in the three states of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, which are all in direct competition with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

For three months now, Congress didn’t just stall seat-sharing talks in anticipation of a good performance in this round of assembly elections that could put it at an advantage in any negotiations but also refused to have any meaningful seat-sharing arrangements with opposition parties in the three states.

Also read: What does the BJP’s victory in three states indicate for the Lok Sabha elections of 2024?

After a protracted absence, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has now called a meeting of the bloc for December 6 despite the party’s damaged reputation. The last bloc meeting was called on September 13. Opposition parties are questioning the Congress’s ability to take on BJP and suggested that it allow regional parties to call the shots in their respective states.

“Regional parties should take the lead against the BJP, not the Congress,” stated a senior Trinamool Congress leader who wished to remain anonymous. The Trinamool Congress, the DMK, the AAP, the JD(U), and the RJD have all been successful in stopping the BJP’s electoral advances, but the Congress has not.

Another Opposition leader, who asked to be kept anonymous said: “We were repeatedly telling the Congress to quickly finalise the candidates. The Mumbai resolution also said that ticket distribution should be done at the earliest. But the Congress delayed it.” His reference is to the September 1 meeting of the bloc in Mumbai where it was decided to hold the seat-sharing talks at the earliest.

Also read: What does the BJP’s victory in three states indicate for the Lok Sabha elections of 2024?

The opposition leaders also emphasised that although the first joint meeting of the allies was scheduled to take place in Bhopal on October 2, it was thwarted by Congressman Kamal Nath, the chief of Madhya Pradesh Congress committee.

“Congress believed they would use coercion against us following the elections,” a different opposition leader joked, requesting anonymity.