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By:

Akhilesh Sinha

25 June 2025 at 2:53:54 pm

Congress-Left Rift Exposes Power Games

New Delhi: Cracks widen in I.N.D.I.A. alliance as Congress and Left clash in Kerala/West Bengal polls, prioritizing state power over ideology. History of flip-flops fuels accusations of cynical opportunism, eroding public trust amid national unity facade.   Ahead of the Kerala and West Bengal assembly elections, cracks have emerged between the Congress and Left parties, with both gearing up to clash head-on in the electoral arena. The echoes of this rift reverberated in a recent meeting of...

Congress-Left Rift Exposes Power Games

New Delhi: Cracks widen in I.N.D.I.A. alliance as Congress and Left clash in Kerala/West Bengal polls, prioritizing state power over ideology. History of flip-flops fuels accusations of cynical opportunism, eroding public trust amid national unity facade.   Ahead of the Kerala and West Bengal assembly elections, cracks have emerged between the Congress and Left parties, with both gearing up to clash head-on in the electoral arena. The echoes of this rift reverberated in a recent meeting of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance's parliamentary parties. The Marxist Communist Party (CPI(M)) openly targeted Congress's biggest leader, Leader of opposition in Parliament Rahul Gandhi, exposing deep tensions. Whether it's the Congress-led I.N.D.I.A. alliance or the earlier United Progressive Alliance (UPA), history shows Congress has always fought elections against CPI(M) in Kerala and West Bengal assembly polls. What kind of political ideology is this, where parties unite for Lok Sabha elections but turn adversaries in state assembly contests?   This naturally begs the question that in this game of alliances, are Congress, the Left, and other I.N.D.I.A. bloc constituents indulging in opportunistic politics driven by a thirst for power? Are they playing tricks on the public just to grab the throne? If their alliances were rooted in ideology, they would stick together from Lok Sabha to assembly elections, united by principle.   Flash point The flashpoint came during an I.N.D.I.A. bloc parliamentary meeting in Kerala, originally called to strategize for the Parliament session and forge a united opposition front against the central government. But the discussion swiftly pivoted to escalating differences between Congress and the Left. CPI(M) MPs took strong exception to Rahul Gandhi's recent statement during a Kerala visit, where he accused central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of targeting opposition leaders but sparing Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.   In West Bengal, a senior Congress leader revealed the central leadership's calculus that with little to lose, going solo is the smarter play. Post-alliance breakup with the Left, focus shifts to bolstering vote share, not seat-sharing math. TMC and BJP are expected to dominate anyway. After days of silence, CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby accused Congress of drifting from a broad anti-communal unity, insisting his party favors collaboration with like-minded forces but slamming Congress's stance as isolationist.   The analysis Political analysts warn this split could fragment opposition votes, benefiting TMC. Yet they don't rule out informal grassroots understandings between left and congress. In both states, ditching the alliance lets Congress and the Left campaign comfortably, dodging awkward questions from voters. In Kerala, the Left has held power for two straight terms since 2021, breaking a decades-old pattern of alternating every five years between Left and Congress. Riding an anti-incumbency wave, Congress and Rahul Gandhi now eye a comeback, launching direct attacks on CPI(M). This has irked the Left, whose survival hinges solely on Kerala.   If we look at the political background, the I.N.D.I.A. alliance was formed mainly to create a united strategy against the BJP-led NDA. In several states, opposition parties are trying to contest elections together. Electoral processes, unemployment, inflation, and concerns over constitutional institutions are part of the opposition's shared agenda.   Watching this alliance charade ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly polls, the public is baffled that What's the real basis of these tie-ups? Do parties form and break them for keeping in mind the interests of leaders and parties, or based on ideology? Do they consider the welfare of the people and the nation's interests in doing so? Is coalition politics just opportunism masquerading as strategy? Voters deserve answers-will I.N.D.I.A.'s flip-flops erode trust, or can they justify this as pragmatic realism? Until then, the stench of power hunger lingers.

Dynastic Soap Opera

Philippines

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco (left) receives an impeachment complaint filed on Monday against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte. Pic: AP/PTI


When a sitting vice-president publicly threatens the life of the president, even the Philippines’ chaotic political landscape seems to reach a new level of disarray. But in this archipelago, political rivalries and melodrama are hardly novelties.


Vice-President Sara Duterte’s recent remarks on Facebook were as shocking as they were incendiary. She claimed to have hired assassins to kill President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, his wife, First Lady Liza Araneta, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Just last month, she revealed her wish to decapitate the president, dig up his father’s remains from the Heroes’ Cemetery, and toss them into the sea. The vehemence of her language is impossible to ignore, though Duterte now claims that her words were hyperbolic and without intent. Yet the damage to the already fragile alliance between the two political dynasties is undeniable.


This public spat between the vice-president and president traces its roots to a political union forged in 2022, not out of affection, but out of necessity. The Marcos-Duterte alliance, dubbed UniTeam, was a marriage of convenience. Both candidates were heirs to powerful presidential legacies—Sara Duterte, daughter of the populist strongman Rodrigo Duterte, and Bongbong Marcos, son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Their joint bid capitalized on regional and familial loyalties, pulling together disparate political forces. The duo won by a landslide, but the vice-presidency, which Duterte assumed, is largely ceremonial, with few levers of power. When Marcos allotted her the education portfolio instead of the defence ministry, it was a clear sign of mistrust. The differences between them were soon magnified by stark contrasts in policy, especially on China and the controversial war on drugs.


For decades, the Duterte and Marcos families have loomed large in Filipino politics, both with their share of scandals and dynastic ambitions. Rodrigo Duterte, now former president, pursued a foreign policy that embraced China, despite Beijing’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea, and led a brutal anti-narcotics campaign that resulted in thousands of extrajudicial killings. In stark contrast, Marcos has taken a more confrontational approach to China, asserting Philippine sovereignty in contested waters, and distancing himself from his predecessor’s war on drugs. As Marcos has sought to distance his administration from the Duterte legacy, his relationship with Sara has soured.


The friction reached a new peak when a congressional investigation was launched into Sara Duterte’s use of confidential funds allocated to her office, and when she resigned from her role as education secretary in July. Since then, her rhetoric has grown more strident.


Sara Duterte is no stranger to controversy. As mayor of Davao City, she gained notoriety for physically confronting a court official. Her brashness mirrors her father’s bombastic style—Rodrigo Duterte once famously insulted the Pope and boasted about his past killings. The apple has not fallen far from the tree. Like her father, Sara is known for her toughness, her defiant personality and an unflinching desire to retain power.


For Marcos, however, the stakes are even greater. His family’s quest for rehabilitation after the 1986 People Power Revolution (when the Marcoses were ousted by a popular uprising) remains central to his presidency. He is intent on crafting a legacy of legitimacy and respectability, aiming to influence the choice of his successor in 2028. The intense rivalry with the Dutertes may, however, undercut his efforts. Sara Duterte’s strength in the south, coupled with her robust support from overseas Filipino workers, makes her a formidable political force.


While the possibility of Sara’s impeachment remains, the political risks for Marcos are immense. A politically charged impeachment would require significant support in the Senate. For now, it seems that the Philippines’ political theater will continue to unfold in spectacular fashion, with the two powerful families locked in a rivalry that may define the country’s future.

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