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NEW DELHI: Underscoring the need for INDIA bloc partners to firm up an alternative agenda — a common minimum programme — with which to counter the BJP, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday said failure to begin work on the ground would weaken the coalition’s chances.
Singh was speaking at ‘Jeetega INDIA: National Convention for Democracy, Secularism and Social Justice’, organised by the Bharat Jodo Abhiyan, where 18 small parties and over 50 civil society organisations pledged their support to the INDIA coalition and promised to identify 125-150 seats where the coalition has the potential to upstage the BJP with a “little more push”. They also resolved to ensure that the INDIA bloc will “not remain an electoral tie-up, but will take on the BJP-RSS by way of communication and ground struggles” to become the “principal vehicle for reclaiming the republic”.
The gathering included CPM’s Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D Raja, Samajwadi Party’s Javed Ali and CPI(ML)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, among others. They called for urgent coordinated action and urged parties and organisations to prepare themselves for the possibility of One Nation-One Election. They also advocated vigilance against the likelihood of voter list and EVM manipulation, and emphasised the need to counter BJP’s “appropriation” of terms — from ‘Bharat’ to nationalism and patriotism.
SP’s Ali dismissed talks of cracks in the INDIA bloc in states such as UP, where the Congress said it would prepare electoral strategies for all 80 seats. “The UP strategy is that we will try to win all 80 seats. Do not subscribe to all that the media is saying. The Congress spokesperson said they’ll prepare for all 80 seats. But preparation is not the same as fighting. All partners in INDIA will prepare for all seats so that the chosen INDIA candidate can win,” Ali said.
Bhattacharya pushed for urgent action on the ground, cautioning that despite three meetings, the INDIA grouping has not led any big movement or rally under its broad umbrella.
Singh was speaking at ‘Jeetega INDIA: National Convention for Democracy, Secularism and Social Justice’, organised by the Bharat Jodo Abhiyan, where 18 small parties and over 50 civil society organisations pledged their support to the INDIA coalition and promised to identify 125-150 seats where the coalition has the potential to upstage the BJP with a “little more push”. They also resolved to ensure that the INDIA bloc will “not remain an electoral tie-up, but will take on the BJP-RSS by way of communication and ground struggles” to become the “principal vehicle for reclaiming the republic”.
The gathering included CPM’s Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D Raja, Samajwadi Party’s Javed Ali and CPI(ML)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, among others. They called for urgent coordinated action and urged parties and organisations to prepare themselves for the possibility of One Nation-One Election. They also advocated vigilance against the likelihood of voter list and EVM manipulation, and emphasised the need to counter BJP’s “appropriation” of terms — from ‘Bharat’ to nationalism and patriotism.
SP’s Ali dismissed talks of cracks in the INDIA bloc in states such as UP, where the Congress said it would prepare electoral strategies for all 80 seats. “The UP strategy is that we will try to win all 80 seats. Do not subscribe to all that the media is saying. The Congress spokesperson said they’ll prepare for all 80 seats. But preparation is not the same as fighting. All partners in INDIA will prepare for all seats so that the chosen INDIA candidate can win,” Ali said.
Bhattacharya pushed for urgent action on the ground, cautioning that despite three meetings, the INDIA grouping has not led any big movement or rally under its broad umbrella.
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