Every day a Mahabharata begins in the country and the world, which continues not just for 18 days but for months and years. Actually, this is a royal tendency which keeps displaying its evilness everywhere. Sometimes this happens in someone’s innermost being and sometimes in the political world. Sometimes in the form of corporate war in the economic world, and sometimes in the form of ethnic conflict war in the social sector. Sometimes in the communal battlefield of the cultural field and sometimes in the form of open war on the international stage.
More or less everywhere, those who win the war need grouping and for this they are looking for some Abhimanyu to sponsor the Chakravyuh. Although there is not one but many Abhimanyus in Indian politics, but here it is more relevant to talk about the political circumstances prevailing before the Congress crown prince and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. Because after 10 years of tireless work, how did Rahul Gandhi, who proved his leadership skills in the Lok Sabha elections 2024, become an eyesore for his own alliance partners by losing the winning battles like Haryana and Maharashtra assembly elections?
Is it just because at the behest of BJP strategists there is a Congress-led India alliance which includes most of the provincial satraps? Because this is the successful alliance which broke all his political arrogance in the Lok Sabha elections 2024 and forced him to form an alliance. At the same time, its Modi-Yogi like leadership in UP has created a wrinkle of worry on the forehead. Or the political ambitions of Sharad Pawar and Lalu Prasad were not fulfilled, while Mamata Banerjee succeeded in her mission. He kept both BJP and Congress within their political limits.
Or that is why Congress crown prince Rahul Gandhi is not dancing at the behest of Samajwadi Party chief and former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Aam Aadmi Party supremo and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Because Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray is not a natural ally of Congress. In the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, Congress was successful in belittling him and he was erased from the political map of Maharashtra. Similarly, Congress forced AAP to shrink from Delhi to Punjab and also told Akhilesh’s SP to stay only in UP and not dream of moving forward riding on its shoulders in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra. This is the reason why all these leaders are angry with the Congress and are making political moves to once again fuel the Third Front.
This is the reason that after the Haryana and Maharashtra elections, the tactic of demeaning the Congress leadership on the question of leadership in the Indian alliance and the tactic of politics that started and leaders like RJD supremo Lalu Prasad showed haste in switching sides from the Congress, this is the feeling. What happened was that political leaders like NCP chief Sharad Pawar succeeded in their objective. That is why, despite the presence of national faces like Congress Parliamentary Party President Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary and Lok Sabha member Priyanka Gandhi, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Chief Minister of West Bengal as the new president of the India Alliance. Mamta Banerjee’s name was raised.
Needless to say, Sharad Pawar and Mamata Banerjee have polished their politics by breaking the Congress in their respective states. However, Sharad Pawar gained the upper hand due to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad supporting his mission. This means that Maharashtra, West Bengal and Bihar have indicated that they do not need a strong Congress but a weak Congress which will dance to their tune. Here, in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh too, Akhilesh and Kejriwal have joined hands on a platform in Delhi to weaken the Congress.
Earlier, Kejriwal had already taken the support of RJD leader and Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Bihar Chief Minister and JDU leader Nitish Kumar may be in the NDA alliance again, but his cordial relations with Kejriwal are well known. NDA cannot forget Nitish’s contribution in forming the anti-India alliance and if he had been made the convenor of the alliance, he would have been in the India alliance today.
At the same time, the mirror that Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has shown to the Congress on the question of misuse of EVMs, clearly shows that the India alliance allies are cornering Rahul Gandhi in their own ways, so that the Congress comes under pressure. And if ever a third front is formed again, the way should remain open for them too. Because the India alliance or the possible third front formed in opposition to the BJP led NDA is not a strong alliance because in UP Bihar this grand alliance becomes Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra. Earlier it was considered as UPA. Therefore, I believe that Third Front is the most appropriate name for anti-BJP or Congress politics, which is understood as one in the entire country.
You must have seen that Aam Aadmi Party recently organized ‘Mahila Adalat’ at Thyagaraj Stadium in Delhi. In which SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, while sharing the stage with Arvind Kejriwal, fiercely attacked BJP and extended unconditional support to AAP and said that SP will not field any candidate here. By saying this, he increased the psychological pressure on Congress that if it does anti-BJP and pro-minority politics then it should not field its candidates on all the seats in Delhi.
At the same time, Akhilesh Yadav also said that when incidents are happening in Delhi, then imagine what would be happening in the entire country. Because Arvind Kejriwal had just said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah should just say once that he is not maintaining the law and order situation in Delhi. Although he could not say that then we will take care. Give me the police!
It is clear that Akhilesh Yadav will be with Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi elections and by doing so he has once again shown contempt to Congress. Earlier, he had not given even a single seat to Congress in the UP by-elections only because in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra, Congress did not give seats to his party SP and even less in Maharashtra. This means that the tension between the two boys of UP i.e. Rahul-Akhilesh led Congress and Samajwadi Party does not seem to be subsiding. Now the way SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has announced his support to Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi Assembly elections, its political meaning is being inferred.
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In Delhi, Akhilesh Yadav not only praised Arvind Kejriwal but also talked about giving full support to Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi Assembly elections. In such a situation, there is a lot of discussion in the political circles about resentment against Rahul Gandhi and his closeness to Kejriwal. Akhilesh Yadav, while praising Arvind Kejriwal, said that the party which gets the support of mothers and sisters can never lose. The promise of giving Rs 2,100 per month to women by the AAP government is a very commendable initiative. He also talked about giving full support to Aam Aadmi Party. Also said that SP stands with you with full responsibility. We will be visible with you wherever you are needed.
Political strategy and recent political developments are also believed to be the reason behind the SP chief openly supporting Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi elections.
Samajwadi Party recently announced its separation from the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi alliance. Whereas SP General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav has also said that Rahul Gandhi is not the leader of India Alliance. In Delhi, Kejriwal has announced not to form an alliance with the Congress and will contest the elections alone, after which Akhilesh Yadav recited ballads in praise of the AAP government from the stage. Due to this, speculations are being made that SP also seems to be moving away from Congress.
The main reason for political sourness with Congress is believed to be the tussle over seat sharing. From Madhya Pradesh to Haryana, Congress did not leave even a single seat for Samajwadi Party. At the same time, in Maharashtra also, only two seats were given to SP at the last moment. Thus, Akhilesh Yadav looked angry due to being sidelined in the India alliance. Because he holds the third biggest political position in the Lok Sabha and can also become the main architect of the non-Congress-non-BJP third front. Therefore, he has now started politics of his choice, which is displeasing to Congress.
Not only this, there was a tussle between Akhilesh’s SP and Congress on issues ranging from seat arrangement to not raising the Sambhaal issue vigorously in the Parliament. Therefore, SP distanced itself from Congress on the issue of Adani. At the same time, when there was a protest outside the Parliament under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, SP MPs were not seen there. At the same time, Akhilesh has announced to contest the BMC elections alone, giving a blow to the MVA in Maharashtra. On the other hand, Shiv Sena UBT has also made a similar announcement.
It is clear from these things that the political maestros of India Alliance are seen trying to defeat Rahul Gandhi in their political maze. This is also the reason for Congress lagging behind from Haryana to Maharashtra, because these people supported BJP with heart and Congress with mind, because BJP also does OBC politics from heart, which tickles the fellow parties of Third Front from within. . The aim of the socialists and neo-nationalists has been to keep the politics of the upper castes and Dalits in abeyance. Yes, socialists provoke minorities and nationalists in their own ways, while Congress caresses them with its influence!
– Kamlesh Pandey
Senior journalist and political analyst