True to life/ New Delhi|
The INDIA alliance, led by the Congress party, is facing difficulties in finalizing seat-sharing arrangements with its allies in several key states. While some progress has been made in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, talks are still deadlocked in Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Bihar.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party (SP) will contest 63 of the 80 seats, while the Congress will field candidates in the remaining 17 seats. In Delhi, the Congress will contest three seats and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will fight on the remaining four.
However, in Maharashtra, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are unable to agree on a seat-sharing formula. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal is also reluctant to cede any seats to the Congress. In Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has already parted ways with the INDIA alliance and joined the NDA.
NDA on a strong footing
The NDA, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is in a much better position in terms of seat sharing. The BJP has already finalized alliances in most states and is confident of winning a majority in the Lok Sabha elections.
In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has forged an alliance with the Apna Dal (S) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). In Bihar, the BJP has the support of the Janata Dal (United) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).
In the south, the BJP is looking to tie up with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha. The BJP is also confident of making inroads in West Bengal, where it has been steadily gaining ground in recent years.
Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra: A game-changer?
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been undertaking the Bharat Jodo Yatra in an attempt to connect with the people and revive the party’s fortunes. The yatra, which began in Kanyakumari on September 7, 2022, and concluded in Kashmir on January 30, 2023, covered 12 states.
The yatra received a positive response from the people, and the Congress subsequently won the assembly elections in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh. However, the party lost three key states – Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh – in the year-end elections.
Rahul Gandhi has now embarked on a second Bharat Jodo Yatra, which began on January 14, 2024. This time, the yatra will cover the eastern part of the country.
It remains to be seen whether the Bharat Jodo Yatra will help Rahul Gandhi to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha elections. Modi, who is seeking a third term in office, is riding high on popularity and has set a target of winning 400 seats for the NDA.
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are expected to be a closely contested affair. The NDA, led by the BJP, is in a strong position, but the INDIA alliance, led by the Congress, is hoping to make a comeback. The outcome of the elections will depend on a number of factors, including the performance of the respective alliances, the popularity of the leaders, and the mood of the electorate.
Mohit Sabdani from Jaipur
Reporting for True to Life