The recent Delhi Assembly election results have sparked debates on the role of the Congress party in the defeat of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has caused concern within the opposition coalition, INDIA. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy described the current opposition scenario as “fractured.” Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also echoed this sentiment when he quipped, “Aur lado apas mein,” suggesting that infighting among opposition parties only benefits the BJP.
The Shiv Sena, under Uddhav Thackeray, has also targeted Congress and AAP, blaming their animosity towards each other for their defeat in Delhi. An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece “Saamna” said, “The disunity and discord among opposition parties in Delhi and Maharashtra directly aided the BJP in its victory.” It further commented on the futility of forming alliances if the parties continue to indulge in destructive rivalry.
The AAP, an offshoot of Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement and key player in ousting the Congress hegemony in Delhi, is staring into the abyss. Though a temporary understanding has been reached and news entertainment must have convinced them to gear up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, both the parties went back to their bickering as elections in the Delhi draw near. This bitter contest has made the Congress gain AAP’s non-BJP voter base significantly with respect to AAP electoral losses.
Curiously, even as Congress faced a third consecutive election defeat in Delhi without securing a single seat, some party leaders were seen to be satisfied over AAP’s failure, further complicating the dynamics within the opposition alliance. Observers have noted that a united front between AAP and Congress could have effectively countered the BJP’s influence in the capital.
Omar Abdullah commented on this missed opportunity, and senior Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav criticized Congress for its “bad attitude” and questioned its attacks on AAP.
Congress has replied to the criticism by saying AAP was not in favor of an alliance. Arvind Kejriwal had declared candidates for Delhi’s 70 seats before the election.
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress is now fretting about potential interference by Congress in West Bengal during the forthcoming elections. She has allegedly calmed down her party MLAs that Congress doesn’t stand anywhere near being a serious contender against them as Mamata says her Trinamool Congress was capable of handling the challenge by the BJP.
Sources indicate that Banerjee also expressed frustration over AAP’s lack of support for Congress in Haryana, contrasting it with Congress’s absence of assistance for AAP in Delhi, underscoring the complex interplay of party dynamics within the opposition.
