– Mohd.Naushad Khan
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP P. Chidambaram raised concerns on Thursday about the unity of the INDIA bloc. He said he was unsure if the alliance was still intact. He spoke at the launch of the book Contesting Democratic Deficit, written by Salman Khurshid and political commentator Mritunjay Singh Yadav.
“The future of the INDIA bloc is not bright,” Chidambaram said at the event. “It looks frayed at the seams. Mritunjay may believe it still holds, but I am not so sure. Only Salman can answer that, as he was part of the talks.” Still, Chidambaram said he hoped the alliance could be rebuilt with time and effort.
The INDIA bloc was formed in 2023. It brought together ideologically different parties. The aim was to defend democracy and challenge the BJP-led government. But recent events have caused doubt. Disputes over seat-sharing and poor coordination have raised concerns about the bloc’s future.
At the event, Chidambaram also warned about the BJP’s strength. He called it the strongest political machine in India’s history. “It’s more than a party; it’s a machine behind a machine,” he said. “They control everything — from the Election Commission to the smallest police station. It’s as powerful as democracy allows.”
The book, Contesting Democratic Deficit: An Inside Story of the 2024 Elections, details the Congress Party’s efforts at revival. It covers the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the creation of the INDIA alliance. The authors describe it as a move to protect an inclusive and pluralistic India.
Though the 2024 elections brought setbacks, the book claims the alliance showed a will to protect constitutional values. Khurshid said alliances must be built on mutual respect. “You can’t bully or squeeze allies and expect unity,” he warned.
Chidambaram said elections in India can be influenced but not fully rigged. “You can tinker with them, but not stage a vote where one party gets 98%. That doesn’t happen here,” he stated.
He ended with a call to prepare for 2029. He urged the Opposition to think big and plan for the long term. “If we focus only on seat-sharing or post-poll deals, we’ll miss the larger goal — reversing the current political trend,” he said.
The event highlighted the deep challenges facing Indian democracy. It also stressed the need for a united and visionary Opposition to present a real alternative in 2029.
