New Delhi, June 23 Amid ongoing discussions over seat-sharing and leadership within the INDIA bloc in Bihar, Purnia MP Pappu Yadav emphasised that the immediate priority should be defeating the BJP-led NDA, not debating over the Chief Ministerial face.
Stressing the central role of Congress in this political battle, Yadav said, “I have spoken on this matter several times. Congress has great strength. But in the context of the alliance, the responsibility of defeating the NDA in states like Bihar lies with Congress. It is Congress' duty. Congress has the capacity. Across the country, it is only Congress that can defeat the BJP. When it comes to managing alliances and coalition dharma, Congress has always taken the lead.”
Yadav also issued a pointed message to RJD and other INDIA bloc members: “I want to tell RJD to focus on defeating the NDA, not Congress. The Chief Minister can be decided later. First, defeat the NDA. Only Congress can defeat the BJP.”
Yadav criticised the NDA for lacking internal transparency. “Just look at the infighting within the NDA. They haven’t even decided who will become the Chief Minister. Amit Shah has already said not before but after the elections. And when Amit Shah says something, it’s considered final, almost like a divine decree. His decision is the ultimate word there. Unlike the Congress, where decisions are made bottom-up through the CWC, that’s not how it works in their setup,” he remarked.
Speaking on leadership aspirations within the alliance, Yadav added, “Everyone should have the dream of becoming Chief Minister, and it's natural to have that ambition. Every leader in their party has the right to express their opinion. As for the alliance, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and leaders of other parties will sit together, and only then will the alliance decide who the Chief Minister will be.”
He also suggested that projecting Rahul Gandhi as the bloc's face could help unify the coalition and present a strong alternative to the BJP.
“Right now, Narendra Modi's face is being projected while Nitish Kumar's face is being pushed into the background. Similarly, if Rahul Gandhi’s face is projected, only then will the INDIA bloc appear strong and united,” he stated.
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