New Delhi: Amidst the internal conflicts within the Indian National Congress (INC) following the recent assembly elections in five states, several MPs from the party have been suspended from the ongoing Parliament session.
This development has sparked hope among INC leaders that the alliance will overcome its past differences and unite for the upcoming 2024 general elections.
The Congress, which contested the elections in five states under the slogan “Ekla Chalo” (walk alone), suffered heavy defeats in four states. The party ruled out forming alliances with its allies, stating that the India alliance is focused on the 2024 elections.
As the election results came in, leaders like Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, and Arvind Kejriwal criticised the Congress’s performance. Mamata Banerjee even instructed her MPs that opposition unity should be limited to within Parliament, and outside, the party’s strategy would be determined based on opportunities.
Despite the TMC’s absence from a dinner hosted by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on December 6, the Congress stood firmly with the TMC when Mahua Moitra was expelled from Parliament and Derek O’Brien was suspended for the entire session. Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra all expressed their support for the TMC.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had invited Mamata Banerjee to the swearing-in ceremony of the Congress government in Telangana. The Congress believes that the strict action taken against opposition MPs in Parliament could lead to the opposition parties uniting and presenting a stronger front to the public.
In addition to TMC MPs, members of other opposition parties in the Lok Sabha have also faced suspensions. The opposition has criticised the BJP for forgetting its own actions while in opposition, when BJP members would come to the well and raise slogans. The opposition argues that it is being targeted for raising questions about security lapses in Parliament, while the Home Minister refuses to provide a statement.
The AAP has called the actions against its leaders and Azam Khan a conspiracy by the SP to persecute opponents of the BJP. The question arises whether the actions taken against the opposition during the Parliament session will serve as a catalyst for unity and provide them with renewed energy for the 2024 elections.
The meeting of the India Alliance, which was postponed on December 6 due to the absence of leaders like Mamata and Akhilesh, has been rescheduled for December 19. It remains to be seen how the relationship between these leaders will evolve, especially considering the recent tensions.
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