delhi assembly election 2025 – Conflict in Delhi, questions arising on existence… But understand why the resentment of Congress colleagues in INDIA block is seasonal? – india block congress aap delhi assembly election 2025 bihar elections rjd tmc sharad pawar left ntcpbt

Aam Aadmi Party and Congress, which entered the electoral fray in alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, are parting ways in the Delhi elections. The war of words between the leaders of both the parties is also becoming fierce. Amidst this verbal fight between the two allies, questions are also being raised about the existence of India Block. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah advocated the abolition of the India Block.

Tejashwi Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had said that this alliance was only till the Lok Sabha elections. After the dispute between Aam Aadmi Party and Congress in Delhi elections and the statements of the leaders of the constituent parties, there is a debate on the existence and future of India Block. The question is, is the India Block really nearing its end?

Political analyst Rashid Kidwai said on this that there are different types of equations in different states. If we look at Kerala only, Congress and Left are the axis of two rival alliances, UDF and LDF, but in national politics outside the state, both the parties remained together in India Bloc. Same thing happened in Punjab in Lok Sabha elections also. Aam Aadmi Party and Congress fought against each other there too and there was acrimony, but at the national level, even in Delhi, both the parties remained together.

The political picture of every state is different

It would not be right to see the bitterness of Delhi elections as the end of India Block. The circumstances of every state are different and political parties take decisions accordingly. To be in any alliance, it is necessary that the party be strong and have its own base. At present, Congress in Delhi does not appear to be in a position in which support or opposition would make much difference.

He also said that like BJP, Aam Aadmi Party also takes decisions only after doing complete calculations of profit and loss. This was also seen in the Lok Sabha elections when Aam Aadmi Party remained with Congress in India Block, shared seats in Delhi and appealed for votes for each other, but in Punjab, both the parties were seen fighting each other.

Even in the Delhi elections, Congress was keen on an alliance but the ruling party did not even give it a chance for talks and announced to fight alone. It is possible that Congress would have agreed to the alliance even on the offer of 8 to 10 seats. There is a lack of communication in India Bloc and as far as Congress is concerned, the party should hand over the responsibility of communication with the constituent parties of India Bloc to a leader who is respected in every party and when everyone speaks, everyone becomes silent. The kind of role played by Sonia Gandhi during UPA.

Also read: ‘INDIA block only for national elections’, is Sharad Pawar’s statement a sign of division in MVA?

It is also being discussed that the strategy behind Aam Aadmi Party going alone in the Delhi elections could be to divide the anti-incumbency votes. If Congress will also be in opposition along with BJP, then voters angry with the government will have two options. If anti-incumbency votes are divided, the party’s chances of winning the closely fought seats may increase. Now it is important for the opponent to be seen as an opponent and this could also be the reason why the leaders of Aam Aadmi Party and Congress are not refraining from harsh verbal attacks on each other.

Why is the resentment of the constituent parties seasonal?

From Sharad Pawar’s NCP to Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress, all the constituent parties of the India Bloc have announced their support to the Aam Aadmi Party. While Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut targeted Congress and advised them to learn from BJP, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s tone appeared soft. Akhilesh Yadav has said that support of Aam Aadmi Party does not mean opposition to Congress. SP is supporting Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi and Congress is supporting it in the by-election of Milkipur assembly seat of UP. This also shows that the nature of this politics of support and opposition is different according to the mathematics of the states in the India Block.

Also read: Friendship of Rahul Gandhi and Kejriwal turned into enmity, Delhi elections marked the beginning of the end of INDIA block?

Alliance will look united in Bihar elections

After Delhi, elections are to be held in Bihar. Bihar elections are to be held by the end of the year and the opposition alliance will be seen united in these elections, the indications so far are indicating this. Actually, Congress has an alliance with RJD in the state since 1998. In the politics of the state, Congress seems to be more dependent on the party led by Lalu Yadav.

In the 2020 Bihar elections, Congress could win only 19 seats by contesting 70 seats and the strike rate of the party was 27 percent. Then, despite the good performance of RJD and Left, the grand alliance failed to form the government and for this the allies blamed the poor strike rate of Congress. Congress leaders also know that the parties of Jitan Ram Manjhi and Upendra Kushwaha, active in Bihar politics, also have a vote bank but they do not have any such base.

Also read: INDIA block is over, Delhi elections will prove to be the last nail in the coffin.

Kerala-Bengal and Punjab example

Examples are also being given from Kerala and West Bengal, where the main rival parties are seen cursing and trying to defeat each other to their heart’s content, from the civic body till the general elections, but they are also together in the India Block. In Kerala, LDF and UDF are two rival alliances led by the Left and Congress, but both these parties are together in many states including Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar and India Bloc.

Something similar is happening with the ruling Trinamool Congress of West Bengal also. TMC, which raised the slogan of ‘Ekla Chalo’ from assembly elections to general elections, has also been seen standing with India Bloc at the national level after the Lok Sabha elections. Recently, Mamata Banerjee had also staked claim for the leadership of India Bloc.