Shinde Says INDIA Bloc Demoralised By Electoral Setbacks
Questioning the unity and leadership of the opposition, Mr. Shinde said the alliance was exhausted and lacked a concrete development agenda.
Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday criticised the opposition INDIA bloc, claiming that the coalition’s morale had been severely affected by recent electoral setbacks. He alleged that several key members, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the DMK and the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), had deliberately skipped the alliance meeting on Monday due to concerns over their political decline.
Questioning the unity and leadership of the opposition, Mr. Shinde said the alliance was exhausted and lacked a concrete development agenda. “Their only agenda is to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has the trust of the public and will continue to lead the country for years to come,” he said.
Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Mr. Shinde said that even senior opposition leaders such as Sharad Pawar and Mamata Banerjee had, in the past, questioned the consistency of his leadership. He further claimed that internal divisions and fears of future electoral losses were contributing to instability within the bloc.
Without naming Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Mr. Shinde said certain leaders were restricting their political presence to virtual platforms.
The Maharashtra DCM also accused the Congress of working to undermine smaller political parties. “The opposition parties have united solely out of self-interest and a desire for power. Their negative politics will be rejected by the public. Their credibility is declining because of positions that run counter to national interests,” he said.
