Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader TR Baalu criticized JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar's political maneuvering in Bihar, highlighting longstanding grievances within the INDIA bloc, noting that Kumar's leadership had been fraught with challenges from the outset.
Baalu remarked on Sunday that Kumar's insistence on conducting alliance meetings solely in Hindi had been a point of contention, revealing an underlying tension within the coalition. Despite reservations, Baalu acknowledged that the regional parties acquiesced to this demand in the interest of maintaining harmony within the alliance.
Addressing reporters following a preliminary discussion with the Congress party regarding seat allocation, Baalu expressed skepticism regarding Kumar's motives, suggesting that his recent actions were not unforeseen and unlikely to have significant electoral repercussions.
Emphasizing Kumar's persistent advocacy for the Hindi language, a stance at odds with the preferences of regional parties, Baalu underscored the ideological discord that permeated the coalition.
Responding to Kumar's assertion that his departure from the INDIA bloc stemmed from the failure of his planned initiatives, Baalu refuted the claim, asserting that Kumar had not shared any concrete proposals with the alliance partners, leaving his purported plans shrouded in ambiguity.
Looking ahead to the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024 and the intricacies of seat-sharing negotiations with the Congress party, Baalu acknowledged the inevitability of competing interests among coalition members. However, he affirmed the DMK's commitment to flexibility and compromise, expressing readiness to accommodate the demands of its alliance partners.
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