Congress' performance in assembly polls to affect INDIA bloc's dynamics

The election results on Sunday in four states are being keenly watched by parties of the INDIA grouping, with the Congress' performance likely to affect the dynamics in the opposition alliance which will now step up preparations to take on the BJP in next year's general elections.

While some parties including the TMC, AAP and SP were keen on having early seat-sharing talks, the Congress delayed the deliberations pending the outcome of assembly polls.

Sources said this was a deliberate effort on the part of the grand old party, which wanted more bargaining power in seat-sharing, as it was expecting a good outcome in these polls.

With results out on Sunday, hectic political activities will begin soon with the focus on holding further talks with regional players to iron out differences, hold seat-sharing talks and unitedly move forward to defeat the BJP in 2024, they said.

Leaders of opposition parties have already urged Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to move forward in bringing everyone together to strengthen the INDIA bloc to defeat the BJP while putting aside differences.

The decision of the Congress top leadership to not hold immediate talks as desired by some regional players in the last INDIA bloc meeting in Mumbai in August-end was taken after the matter was discussed within the party.

The sources said several leaders during deliberations at the CWC meeting in Hyderabad in September argued that the Congress should not go in for early seat-sharing talks with regional parties and that it should hold discussions from a position of strength after the party fares well in assembly elections in five states, the sources said.

The Congress is expected to make gains in these elections, with exit polls predicting the party to be ahead in Chhattisgarh and Telangana and a tight race in Madhya Pradesh.

While Congress leaders argue that the opposition alliance of 26 parties is only for Lok Sabha polls, leaders of regional parties have shown some resentment during these assembly polls where they were ignored in seat sharing.

The Congress maintained that the contest in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan was primarily between the Congress and the BJP, while it was also the main contender against the BRS in Telangana.