Mandate against Modi... will fight together: INDIA pledge

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said that INDIA bloc will take "appropriate measures at the appropriate time”.

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) will take “appropriate measures at the appropriate time” to realise the people’s desire not to be “ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government”, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge declared on Wednesday, a day after the Opposition bloc posted unexpectedly strong results in the general elections to restrict the incumbent well below a simple majority.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addresses the media in the presence of senior members of the Opposition INDIA bloc, after a meeting of the alliance in Delhi on Wednesday. (Sanjeev Verma / Hindustan Times)

Kharge’s remarks came after a meeting of 33 leaders of the INDIA bloc at his residence in Delhi, a day after it won 233 seats and limited the BJP to 240, well below the majority mark of 272. To be sure, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was comfortably placed to form the government with 293 seats, and Narendra Modi appeared set to take oath later this week.

“The people’s mandate has been a befitting reply to the BJP and their politics of hate, corruption and deprivation. This is a political and moral defeat of PM Narendra Modi,” Kharge said.

“This is a mandate in defence of the Constitution of India and against price rise, unemployment and crony capitalism of the Modi government. The INDIA bloc will continue to fight against the fascist rule of the BJP led by Modi…We will take appropriate steps at the appropriate time to realise the people’s desire not to be ruled by the BJP’s government.”

Kharge maintained that the “people’s mandate” in the polls gave “a befitting reply to the BJP and their politics of hate, corruption and deprivation”.

While some allies met informally on Saturday to plan for the counting day, the meeting on Wednesday was aimed to prepare the future course of action.

Meanwhile, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee spoke to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday evening, said people aware of the matter. However, they said, the talks didn’t yield any results and Naidu pointed out that he fought the election as a BJP ally.

In the meeting, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Trinamool Congress suggested that the alliance should try to explore the possibility of forming a government. But some other leaders pointed out that the INDIA bloc didn’t have the numbers and the President will invite the BJP and the NDA as they commanded a majority, said people aware of developments.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the “Modi brand has been busted” and specifically praised Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav. “Akhilesh helped us a lot in Uttar Pradesh. We also had a good campaign in Bihar and we have highlighted unemployment and corruption of the Modi government as key issues. Our unity must continue,” Gandhi emphasised.

The SP emerged as the single-largest party in UP with 37 seats and the RJD won four in Bihar.

While the mood was jubilant in the meeting, there was a debate on the draft of the resolution, which Kharge read out to the media. Many parties including TMC wanted the draft to contain a line inviting NDA allies unhappy with the BJP to join the Opposition bloc, said people aware of developments. But finally, it was not included in the resolution.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury and former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah suggested that the INDIA bloc should wait as the Opposition will get an opportunity to bring more parties against the government. “All leaders agreed that the mandate is against Modi and the popular mandate in INDIA’s favour. Many leaders also pointed out that the primary task of the Opposition should be to fulfil aspirations of the people,” said another leader, requesting anonymity.

Forward Bloc leader G Devarajan said in the meeting, “Credit should be also given to Rahul Gandhi as Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra created an atmosphere against fascist government and it helped us to reach this spectacular number.”

The meeting was attended by former party chiefs Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, general secretary KC Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule of the NCP-SP, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin and TR Baalu of the DMK, Akhilesh Yadav and Ramgopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Arvind Sawant and Sanjay Raut, Tejashwi Yadav and Sanjay Yadav of the RJD were present.

CPI’s D Raja, Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren and Kalpana Soren of the JMM, AAP’s Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha and Dipankar Bhattacharya of the CPI(ML) attended the meeting.

Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal and PK Kunhalikutty of the IUML, Jose K Mani of the KC(M), Thol Thirumavalavan and D Ravikumar of the VCK, RSP leader N.K. Premachandran, MH Jawahirullah of the MDMK, G. Devarajan of the forward bloc, ER Eswaran of the KMDK were also present.

The INDIA bloc has been buoyed by Congress’s revival in northern India, the SP’s best-ever tally in Uttar Pradesh and Trinamool Congress’s strong showing in West Bengal. Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party got the better of their rivals in Maharashtra. Overall, INDIA wrested nearly 60 seats from NDA, which made up for some of the losses by sweeping Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Odisha.