'INDIA bloc meeting can’t merely be for lunch-dinner’: Uddhav Sena mouthpiece

As the Opposition INDIA bloc convenes for its fourth meeting in Delhi on Tuesday, December 19, the Shiv Sena (UBT) offered words of advice through its mouthpiece Saamana.

“INDIA bloc meetings cannot merely be for lunch and dinner,” it said in an editorial, asserting that the high-profile huddles must transcend social gatherings and focus on strategic electoral planning.

The comment echoes what Janata Dal (United) MP Sunil Kumar Pintu said earlier this month: “INDIA bloc meetings are limited to chai-samosas until seat distribution takes place.” Pintu’s opprobrious remark about the alliance, which his party is a part of, had stoked a political row.

The Saamana editorial criticised the Congress party's approach to alliances and stressed the need for a unified front against the BJP government at the Centre ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

It pointed out that despite favourable conditions, the Congress suffered defeats in three Hindi heartland states in the recently concluded assembly polls due to its failure to include and work together with smaller parties.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) publication called for a single coordinator or convenor within the INDIA alliance, arguing that a collective without clear leadership cannot effectively challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“India alliance needs convenorâ€æAlso it's not enough to say we have lot of faces against PM Modi. India alliance needs a face,” it said.

In a historical parallel, the editorial draws on the defeat of Adolf Hitler by allied forces to illustrate the power of unity, saying that “the Modi-Shah duo is not invincible if the INDIA alliance remains steadfast.”

It further said that on the occasion of its 138th foundation day, the Congress should set an ambitious goal of securing “at least 150 seats” in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and learn from past lessons about the value of forming alliances.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai, reacting to the Saamana piece, indicated that the editorial's content is likely to be a topic of discussion among leaders during the INDIA bloc meeting.

“There are 29 parties in the INDIA alliance, there needs to be one face which can co-ordinate with all these parties and take decisions on upcoming elections, among other things. What has been written in the editorial is likely to be discussed by a leader in the meeting.”