Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Cracks within the INDIA bloc appeared to widen on Wednesday after Shiv Sena (UBT) asked the opposition alliance to “wake up” and hold discussions ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in several states.In an editorial, the party’s mouthpiece Saamana said the coalition must not wait until polls are announced to coordinate its strategy. The piece, titled “Confusion of inner voices, Mamata, Stalin or someone else?”, stressed that multiple inner voices are emerging within the grand old party.
“Once elections are announced, the INDIA bloc must certainly wake up and hold discussions. But more than that, wisdom lies in taking alert, collective decisions together,” the article titled “Confusion of inner voices, Mamata, Stalin or someone else?” read.“Mahatma Gandhi was the supreme leader of both the Congress and the nation. Gandhi had an inner voice that guided his decisions, sharpened by spirituality, patriotism, and selflessness. Today, many ‘inner voices’ are emerging within the Congress, creating confusion. This is not a healthy sign for the country. With Assembly elections approaching in five states, these internal voices have added to the disorder. Statements by Mani Shankar Aiyar, Sanjaya Baru, Bhupen Bora, and others have surfaced at inconvenient times, complicating matters for the Congress,” it added.The article also cited a recent opinion piece written by Sanjaya Baru, in which he proposed that leadership of the INDIA bloc be handed to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.“Aiyar remarked that Congress’s victory in Kerala would be difficult, citing factionalism, and suggested that Pinarayi Vijayan may return as Chief Minister. His comments left the Congress uneasy. Though Aiyar remains a Gandhian, Nehruvian, and Rajiv loyalist, he made it clear he is ‘not Rahulvadi.’ Amid this, Sanjaya Baru proposed that leadership of the INDIA alliance be handed to Mamata Banerjee, arguing that she is better positioned to lead opposition forces,” it said.“Around the same time, Aiyar suggested Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin for the role, citing his strong advocacy for regional parties. Whatever the case, the leadership question within the INDIA alliance has resurfaced. After the Lok Sabha elections, what exactly became of the alliance? This remains a delicate question,” the article read further.Earlier, Sanjaya Baru, who served as media adviser to then prime minister Manmohan Singh, said that “new ideas should” lead or manage the INDIA bloc.He argued that “as the only woman to presently head both a political party and a government”, Mamata Banerjee stands apart from the current generation of leaders at the national and regional levels.In 2026, Assembly elections are scheduled in four states and one Union Territory — West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry.The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the official schedule soon.
