Unhappiness with Rahul pushes I.N.D.I Alliance to the brink

The I.N.D.I.A bloc is facing the risk of disintegration primarily because of Rahul Gandhi's stance in the LS.

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AJIT MAINDOLA NEW DELHI The Congress, which had started dreaming of toppling the Narendra Modi government at the Centre by splitting the NDA after its small "victory" of not letting the BJP get a major ity on its own in the Lok Sabha elections six months ago, is now struggling to keep intact the I.N.D.I.A bloc, which it leads, as allies grow impatient with it.

The I.N.D.I Alliance is facing the risk of disintegration primarily because of the stance that Rahul Gandhi is taking in the Lok Sabha as the Leader of the Opposition. Rather than focusing on critical issues, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress are centring their politics on the Adani controversy, which is causing friction within the alliance, particularly during the final week of the winter session.

Signs of a potential breakup are emerging, with some constituent parties likely to chart their own course in the coming days. Notably, key parties like the Trinamool Congress and the Left have already begun to diverge from the collective path.

The Left parties have distanced themselves from Congress on the issues of a port being developed by the Adani Group in Kerala.

Both the Kerala government and the BJP, which agrees with the Left parties on this issue, have long supported the port project.

Even Congress leaders in Kerala are backing the port because it will help the state economically. However, in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and the Congress leadership have taken a strong stand against the Adani Group.