National Conference Vice-President and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed his concern about the current discord within the Opposition coalition known as INDIA. He referred to this internal strife as "unfortunate," particularly in the context of the upcoming elections in several states. According to Omar Abdullah, the INDIA Alliance is not currently in a strong position, and he believes that internal disputes among its members should not exist, especially with elections approaching in four to five states.
Omar Abdullah went on to highlight a specific dispute between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress, where both parties have declared their intentions to contest all seats in Uttar Pradesh (UP). He emphasized that this discord was detrimental to the Indian alliance and expressed his hope that the alliance could regroup after the state elections to work together effectively.
The rift between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party has become more pronounced in recent times, with Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the SP, expressing dissatisfaction with the seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly election. The SP had hoped to form an alliance to challenge the ruling BJP government in the state, but this plan did not materialize, leading Yadav to perceive it as a "betrayal" and publicly criticize the Congress.
On October 21, Akhilesh Yadav made it clear that the Congress should directly communicate its lack of interest in forming an alliance with the Samajwadi Party. He pledged that the SP would independently prepare to contest the BJP, emphasizing that the Congress should refrain from conspiracies and betrayals.
Akhilesh Yadav also responded to Kamal Nath, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and the state Congress president, who had made a playful comment using the phrase "Akhilesh Vakhilesh." In response, Yadav made a tongue-in-cheek remark about the lotus, the official symbol of the BJP.
The ongoing tensions between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress raise doubts about the future of the INDIA bloc, particularly in the lead-up to the critical 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party unveiled its third list of two candidates on October 19, announcing a total of 33 candidates for the upcoming November 17 elections for the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly. The Congress has also announced its candidates for 229 seats, setting the stage for a competitive electoral contest.
