Quits and splits have led to an existential crisis for INDIA bloc

Future of Opp alliance could well depend on its performance in the UP Assembly polls. Congress can’t afford any missteps along the lines of Bihar

- BHAVDEEP KANG

‘Quits and splits’ have weakened Opposition unity in the wake of the Tamil Nadu and West Bengal Assembly polls, putting the Congress on the defensive.

The INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi earlier this week sent a clear signal that the Congress must course-correct before the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections if it hopes to take on the BJP.

The UP Assembly poll is being seen as a trial of strength ahead of the general elections in 2029. Stakes for the Opposition are high, and even more so for the Congress. The alliance with the Samajwadi Party, the only other member of the INDIA alliance with a double-digit presence in the Lok Sabha, is of paramount importance in keeping the Opposition together and bolstering the Congress prospects.

That the Congress needs to placate Akhilesh Yadav was evident at the alliance meeting. He has been critical of the dumping of the DMK, an issue that figured prominently in the discussions. The Congress found itself in the crosshairs, with its leadership being called into question. Significantly, the meeting was held at the Constitution Club rather than the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge or Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who had hosted the previous get-togethers. Clearly, the regional parties wanted to be on neutral ground while criticising the main Opposition party.