Latest news with #MritunjaySinghYadav
India Today
21-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram reaffirms that INDI Alliance is strong in Tamil Nadu
Even as he acknowledged that there was a need to address the issues within the Tamil Nadu unit of Congress, party's Lok Sabha MP Karti P Chidambaram said the INDI Alliance was strong in the state. Chidambaram also clarified that his father, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's remarks about the INDI Alliance were taken out of context. 'Do not criticise a speech based on a social media headline instead of hearing it completely,' he said. advertisementThe former Union finance minister had recently voiced concerns about the INDIA bloc, saying he wasn't sure whether the alliance was still intact. "The future (of INDIA bloc) is not so bright, as Mritunjay Singh Yadav said. He seems to feel that the alliance is still intact, but I am not sure. It is only Salman (Khurshid) who can answer because he was part of the negotiating team for the INDIA bloc. If the alliance is totally intact, I will be very happy. But it shows at the seams that it is frayed," Chidambaram had said at Speaking at the launch of Salman Khurshid and Mritunjay Singh Yadav's book 'Contesting Democratic Deficit' on May 15. The former Union finance minister had also warned that the INDIA bloc was fighting against a 'formidable machinery', which must be fought on all Sivaganga MP, too, conceded that the INDI Alliance was not as strong at the national level as the BJP-led coalition. He did, however, insist that in Tamil Nadu, the alliance, led by the DMK, remained firm and well-positioned to win the next state Assembly in Coimbatore, Chidambaram remarked on the state's evolving political landscape. He hinted that several aspects were still in flux while recognising the potential of the newly formed party led by actor Vijay. He noted that the AIADMK, now allied with the BJP, continues to command a significant vote base. 'As per my interaction on the ground, the base level cadres are not happy with the alliance and question what is the change of stance that led to the alliance in a year of exiting the alliance? The newly formed Vijay party has an energy which I accept but moulding it into a political party can only be ascertained after settling. Only enthusiasm can't turn into vote until there is a political formation,' he the Congress party's current status in Tamil Nadu, the Sivaganga MP noted that the party is in a peculiar position, neither part of the ruling government nor a formal Opposition. He expressed the party's aspiration to be part of the state Cabinet if given a chance, drawing a comparison to other coalition arrangements. advertisement'Every party stands in elections with the expectation to win maximum constituencies and to get a share in the government. If we get a chance, it is our wish to be part of the government and our members becoming ministers, given a chance. In Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu got absolute majority and even then he included Jana Sena and BJP in the Cabinet. Not just Congress party, even VCK and Communist party will have such a wish,' he acknowledged internal challenges within the Tamil Nadu Congress, including factionalism and insufficient focus on local issues. 'There are of course several fundamental issues in the party which have led to various groups which need to be corrected. We are an alliance party for the ruling party in election but are not part of the government nor in an Opposition party. We are in a 'No Man's Land'. We projected GK Moopanar as a CM candidate lastly and after that no one. Congress party is not addressing specific issues of Tamil Nadu and only concentrating on National matters. No matter who is made as a TNCC President, they are only allowed to work in a constrained circle,' he added. advertisementIN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
Indian Express
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Not sure if INDIA bloc still intact, alliances can't be stitched during polls: Chidambaram
Suggesting that alliances have to be nursed in between elections, former Union Minister P Chidambaram Thursday said that he was 'not sure' if the INDIA bloc 'is still intact'. Speaking at the launch of a book, Contesting Democratic Deficit, at the India International Centre in Delhi, former Home Minister said: 'The future is not so bright as Mr Mritunjay Singh Yadav (co-author of the book) says. He seems to feel that the INDIA alliance is still intact. I am not sure. Maybe Salman (Khurshid) can answer because he was part of the negotiating team of the INDIA alliance. If the INDIA alliance is totally intact, I am very very happy, but it shows… seems it is frail. It can be put together. There is still time. There are still events which will unfold.' The book is co-authored by former Union Minister Salman Khurshid with Mritunjay Singh Yadav. 'I have a very different view of alliances. I have had long experiences of alliance in Tamil Nadu… Alliance can't be stitched at the time of elections. Alliances have to be nursed for five years. Only two states in which the alliance has worked consistently. They may have lost an election or won. The alliances that have been nursed through defeat and victory are in Kerala and Tamil Nadu,' said the Congress leader. On BJP, he said: 'If you want to take on the formidable BJP machinery, in my experience, in my reading of history, there has been no political party which is so formidably organised as the BJP. In every department it is formidable. It's not another political party.' 'It is a machine behind which is a machine, and the two machines control all machinery in India. From EC to the lowest police station in India, they are able to control and sometimes capture these institutions. It is a formidable machinery as much as can be allowed in a democracy and comparable to a one state party where the ruling party is a formidable machinery. I am not saying we are a one state party…' he said. Khurshid said: 'The issue about the alliance (INDIA bloc) had a lot to do with all parties… There are instances in the book where we talk about our sensitivities being given a go by. If you want to have an alliance with a party you can't kick it around, squeeze them… Then talk about alliances.'
India Gazette
15-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Future is not so bright: Congress leader P Chidambaram on INDIA bloc unity
New Delhi [India], May 15 (ANI): Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday expressed doubts about the future of the INDIA bloc, saying that it is frayed at the seams. However, he added that the bloc could still be saved with time. 'The future is not so bright as Mr Mritunjay Singh Yadav said. He seemed to feel that the India alliance is still intact. I'm not sure. It's only Salman can answer, because he was part of the negotiating team for the India alliance. If the India alliance is intact, I'm very, very happy. But it shows, it's at the seams, it's frayed. It can be put together, there's still time,' Chidambaram said. Chidambaram was speaking at the book launch of Contesting Democratic Deficit: An Inside Story of the 2024 Elections by Salman Khurshid and Mritunjay Singh Yadav at the India International Centre in the national capital. Chidambaram described the BJP as not another political party but an exceptionally well-organised political force and stressed that it must be challenged on multiple fronts to challenge its dominance. 'In my experience and reading of history, there has been no political party as formidably organised as the BJP. In every department, it's formidable. It's not another political party. It's a machine behind which it's a machine, and the two machines control all the machinery of India, from the Election Commission of India to the lowest police station in India; they are able to control or sometimes capture these institutions. This is a formidable missionary you're fighting. It's not another political party. This formidable missionary must be fought on all fronts,' he said. Chidambaram stressed the importance of the 2029 elections, saying that they could either strengthen the BJP's political machinery or restore full-fledged democracy. 'As the author has described from a ringside view, the difficulty of fighting this formidable missionary. That's the message I get from the book. So the next elections, we don't know where it will go. 2029 elections may make a decisive turn to strengthen this formidable missionary and then we are beyond repair or the 2029 elections must return us to a full-fledged democracy. The 2029 elections are critical,' he said. (ANI)
