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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.

Mayawati slams BJP-Congress over caste census, says OBCs' welfare lies only with BSP

  • PTI
  • May 2, 2025
  • 2 min read


LUCKNOW: BSP president Mayawati on Friday accused the BJP and Congress of politicising the issue of caste enumeration, claiming their anti-Bahujan character continues to deprive OBC communities of their due rights.


Reacting to the Centre's decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census, she said Centre has taken the decision after a "long delay" and "much reluctance".


In a series of posts on X, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, "The BJP and Congress are now rushing to take credit for it, attempting to position themselves as champions of OBCs. However, their track record shows a pattern of oppression and exclusion of Bahujan communities."


Mayawati further stated that if the intentions and policies of the BJP and Congress had truly been honest and inclusive, the OBC community would already have had a fair share in the country's development.


"In that case, the mission of self-respect and dignity initiated by Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar would have seen real success," she added.



Highlighting the "political motivations" behind the move, the BSP chief said the OBC community, like Dalits, has become politically aware due to the sustained struggle of Babasaheb Ambedkar and the BSP.


"Today, OBCs are largely conscious of their rights. The apparent support they receive from other parties is merely driven by electoral compulsions, not genuine concern. It is clear that the true welfare of OBCs lies only with the BSP," she asserted. Mayawati said that the time has come for the Bahujan community to give real meaning to the slogan, 'Vote hamara, raj tumhara nahi chalega' (Our vote, your rule -this won't work).


"It's time for the marginalised to rise through a humane and result-oriented struggle. Continued negligence and tokenism by the BJP, Congress and other parties are dangerous, and they cannot be trusted for the welfare and upliftment of Dalits, OBCs, and the larger Bahujan society," she said.


In a major decision, the government on Wednesday announced that caste enumeration will be included in the forthcoming census exercise in a "transparent" manner.


While making the announcement, the government slammed the opposition parties for using caste surveys as a "political tool".


Opposition parties, including the Congress, have been demanding a nationwide caste census, making it a major election issue, and some states like Bihar, Telangana and Karnataka have already conducted such surveys.

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