DELHI, MILKIPUR – WARNING FOR INDIA ALLIANCE, PUBLIC IS LOOKING FOR A WAY OUT

The smallest semi-state of Delhi and the Milkipur by-election shook Indian politics. It also revealed that the regional parties are not in a position to take on the united BJP. Now it remains to be seen whether the India Alliance will learn any lesson from these circumstances or will move towards destruction. There is no scope for arrogance. If Samajwadi Party lost Milkipur, then the overconfidence and autocracy of their leader, Akhilesh Yadav, is responsible for it.

Similarly, Delhi proved that the lack of understanding and stubbornness of Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal made AAAPam Aadmi Party lose a winning election. He must be cursing Congress today. But he
needs to look at his own record too. People think that he is the “B” team of BJP. The way he worked in all
the places, it only harmed Congress. The AAP had no dominance in Goa, but they contested the elections, cut votes and Congress remained out of power. They did the same in Gujarat.

In Haryana, Congress wanted to give them seven seats under the India Alliance. Kejriwal said he would contest all 90 seats. The Congress lost the chance to form the government by 1 percent vote difference with the BJP. Congress wanted to form an alliance in Delhi too, but Kejriwal refused. Now it was Congress’s turn to deal with it. Congress fought the elections with full vigour. Their vote share increased from 4 percent to about 6.4 percent and Aam Aadmi Party was out of power. Kejriwal, his deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, minister Saurabh Bhardwaj and many leaders lost the elections.

Congress candidates cut only as many votes as was needed for their victory. Because of the Congress, AAP lost 15 seats. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi also barely managed to win her seat. If they had stayed together, the alliance could have affected other seats as well. In political circles, it is being called suicide by a party. Kejriwal lost the trust of the people for his inconsistency. He forgot that in 2013 he got the chance to form the government only because of the Congress and the votes he got are originally from the Congress’ kitty. It is now going back.

Small parties, whether it is Trinamool Congress or Samajwadi, are apprehensive that Congress can take back their votes. That is why they want India alliance but by keeping Congress at bay. They did not succeed in Delhi, Milkipur. If small parties in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh were successful in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, then the reason for this was also the support of Congress. If they stay together, they could grow else they would be nowhere.

They have to decide whether they wanted to be with the India alliance. Congress was reflecting the diversity. It was a coalition even in its glorious times. It is still so today. A member of the Congress wins elections with ease even today with record votes from Rae Bareli in North India and Wayanad in Kerala in the South.

The opposition has to realise it for moving ahead in this diverse country only with the support of Congress. The BJP is powerful. Its parent, RSS increases their strength. They have mastered the art of contesting elections. No other party has the strength to fight it alone. Yogi has rightly said that “bantonge to katoge” (divide and get lost). This applies to the most to the opposition.

The country needs powerful political combinations. Delhi and Milkipur are a warning for the India Alliance. If this alliance does not remain, all the regional parties could be in trouble. The people want a powerful opposition which can raise their issues effectively in Parliament, GST Council and on the streets. A group which can discuss new ideas on national and international affairs, whether it is the Middle East – Israel, Gaza or Russia-Ukraine, and raise the voice of the country. The people would be with the one who can further it. All political parties should find the way out. Will they be able to do? The people awaits for the way
ahead.