Cracks in Opposition: Trinamool, SP Skip Congress Protest
The cracks in the INDIA opposition bloc widened on Monday as key allies Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Samajwadi Party (SP) abstained from a Congress-led protest in the Parliament complex.
The protest, spearheaded by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, focused on the Adani issue but revealed underlying tensions within the opposition alliance ahead of national elections.
TMC Criticizes Congress’s Narrow Focus
Trinamool Congress, which had also skipped a crucial INDIA bloc meeting a day earlier, expressed dissatisfaction with Congress’s single-minded focus on the Adani issue. TMC sources highlighted that their priority lies in addressing broader public concerns, such as inflation, unemployment, and the Manipur unrest. “We have six key issues to raise, but Congress seems fixated on just one,” said a senior TMC leader. Consequently, TMC members were absent from both the protest and the meeting held in Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s chamber.
Samajwadi Party’s Walkout
Adding to the discord, the Samajwadi Party, the third-largest party in the Lok Sabha after BJP and Congress, also abstained from the joint protest. The party staged its own walkout from the Lok Sabha earlier in the day over recent violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district, linked to a mosque survey. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav raised the issue in the House but led a walkout after being advised to address it during Zero Hour. Other opposition parties, including NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), and DMK, joined the walkout.
BJP Takes a Jibe
The ruling BJP seized the opportunity to mock the opposition bloc’s lack of unity. BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya remarked, “Wherever Congress goes, they are rejected by the public. The so-called alliance is in disarray, with Trinamool missing one day and AAP missing the next. Congress has reduced itself to protesting at Parliament gates.”
