Buoyant regarding the prospects of the INDIA bloc’s ascendancy in establishing governance at the Centre, the Congress has summoned a congregation of esteemed alliance dignitaries on June 1 to deliberate upon the post-electoral course, encompassing diverse permutations and combinations of regional factions, and to formalize the hierarchical arrangement.
“A convocation of esteemed alliance dignitaries is slated to convene in Delhi on June 1 for discourse on the post-electoral milieu. The outcome shall transpire on June 4. It behooves us to be primed with our stratagem,” conveyed a senior AICC functionary.
As per insights from within the party, the strategic assembly is predicated on an internal evaluation positing that the INDIA bloc has found itself in a favorable stance subsequent to six phases of balloting and is poised to attain a simple majority of 272 out of 543 seats requisite for governance by the conclusion of the ultimate and seventh phase of balloting on June 1.
Avinash Pande, AICC overseer for Uttar Pradesh, articulated that the collaboration between Congress and Samajwadi Party during the ongoing national electoral process was unprecedented and proved pivotal in propelling the alliance forward.
“I convened INDIA bloc coordination sessions across all 80 constituencies in UP, encompassing the 17 contested by us and 63 by SP. In sum, I traversed approximately 7,000 kilometers over a span of 40 days. This engendered unparalleled synergy amongst the cadres of both parties. Consequently, our coalition is poised to secure more than half the constituencies in the state. Congress is anticipated to clinch 10-12 seats. In my estimation, the INDIA bloc shall indisputably ascend to governance,” remarked Avinash Pande to ETV Bharat.
BM Sandeep Kumar, AICC secretary tasked with Gujarat, echoed similar sentiments, opining that the BJP’s fortunes were dwindling in southern India.
“The INDIA bloc shall secure a simple majority. The landscape has undergone a seismic shift over the past five phases, with one more phase remaining. BJP’s performance in South India is lackluster; they are projected to garner no more than a dozen seats. Anticipated tally includes 8 seats in Karnataka, down from 25-28 in 2019, 3-4 in Telangana, and 1 in Andhra Pradesh. Tamil Nadu and Kerala are poised to shut them out entirely. Their expectations regarding the Ayodhya temple issue in the south have been dashed. With a substantial setback in the south, they are also set to suffer losses in North India, where concerns over unemployment and inflation have dominated public discourse,” expounded Sandeep Kumar to ETV Bharat.
“In the northern territories of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, slated for polling on June 1, BJP is grappling with discontent among farmers and youth aggrieved by the Agniveer defense jobs scheme. This matter weighed heavily in Haryana as well, where polling occurred on May 25,” he added.
According to insiders within the party, the convening of the opposition conclave on June 1 is imperative as AAP founder and Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, faces potential incarceration in the liquor scandal case, absent an extension from the apex court, on June 2.
“It would be advantageous for him to partake in the conclave, notwithstanding the issue of his arrest, which does not pose a concern for the alliance’s performance in Delhi,” remarked a senior AICC functionary. The conclave will serve as a forum for alliance constituents to deliberate on their anticipated electoral outcomes and devise a contingency plan in the event of a closely contested race between the ruling NDA and opposition INDIA bloc.
“In the eventuality of the opposition needing to substantiate their numerical strength on the parliamentary floor, we must strategize to secure the support of allies, given BJP’s proclivity for resorting to dubious methods to shore up numbers,” emphasized a senior AICC functionary. Additionally, the role of various regional factions, notably TMC supremo and West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee, is deemed pivotal in any post-electoral coalition formation, averred party insiders.