Has INDIA bloc run its course? A critical look at current tensions

The political developments over the past few months within the INDIA bloc have triggered the debate around a pertinent question of whether this bloc now “stands disintegrated”.

Strained relations among coalition members are worsening with every passing day. The conflicts are clearly visible in the states such as Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

The discord seems to be reaching a critical point, with Congress adopting a more confrontational position against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Congress is gradually positioning itself as a key rival to the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. It may be recalled that before the Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had expressed her disapproval of any efforts to project Congress MP Rahul Gandhi as a potential prime ministerial candidate. Banerjee has also not participated in any major meetings of the INDIA bloc since it came into being.

The situation worsened further during a recent protest at Sagore Dutta Hospital, where Congress leaders, led by state president Shubhankar Sarkar, reached out to doctors protesting an assault by a patient’s family. But Sarkar and his colleagues faced protests from the doctors, who raised “go back” slogans.

After this, Congress launched fresh attacks on the Trinamool government, slamming it for what it called “poor law and order”.

This incident implies the widening rift within the INDIA bloc, which was formed to pose a challenge to the BJP’s dominance politics. Needless to say, the alliance is facing problems, with various constituents being at odds due mainly to personal ambitions of the leader.

The clash is not confined to West Bengal alone. Reports of infighting among alliance members are being seen in other states as well. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress are fighting against each other in the assembly elections in Haryana, in what is a reminder about their contest in the Punjab assembly polls.

Leaders from both parties frequently exchange allegations and counter allegations, lending credence to perception that the INDIA bloc is disintegrating.

In fact, the beginning itself was not good for the bloc, as the Janata Dal (United) had exited the alliance after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joined the NDA in Bihar. There is no denying Kumar was a key figure in efforts to unify the opposition against Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

There are also reports of roadblocks being faced by Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) in reaching a seat-sharing agreement within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The Congress is said to be seeking the lion’s share.

Questions are also being raised over Congress' relationship with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) as seat-sharing talks commence in Jharkhand in days to come.

Political observers are now questioning whether the INDIA bloc can withstand these internal conflicts or if it is on the verge of collapse. Some say that the INDIA bloc hardly exists now, with unity and cohesion nowhere to be seen.