Amid Speculations Of Rift, Sanjay Raut Says INDIA Alliance 'Must Continue To Thrive'
Sanjay Raut said that Congress should take responsibility for being the "elder brother" in the alliance and added that no alliance can succeed without dialogue among its partners ceases.
Days after the Shiv Sena (UBT) announced to go solo in the local body polls in Maharashtra, Sanjay Raut has said that is the responsibility of Congress to save the INDIA alliance.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said that Congress should take responsibility for being the "elder brother" in the alliance and added that no alliance can succeed without dialogue among its partners ceases.
"The INDIA bloc has performed remarkably well in the country's politics during the Lok Sabha elections, and it must continue to thrive. As the largest party in the alliance, the Congress bears the greatest responsibility. Congress must assume this role," Raut said.
"To maintain communication among partners, responsible leaders need to be appointed, and the Congress, which is the largest constituent of the opposition INDIA bloc, must take on this role," he further said.
#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: On the INDIA alliance, Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut says, "...INDIA alliance should be strong... I don't believe what Omar Abdullah said that the INDIA alliance was formed for Lok Sabha. This alliance was definitely formed for Lok Sabha and we fought… pic.twitter.com/uENVJ7Ektd
— ANI (@ANI) January 13, 2025
The remarks of the Sena leader come amid speculations over rift in the INDIA alliance. The speculations of the rift grew stronger after J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the INDIA bloc should be disbanded as the opposition wasn't united.
Raut, meanwhile, said there was nothing wrong in contesting elections against coalition partners. However, he added that "in such cases, no party should dub their former or potential future allies as traitors."
On Saturday, Raut had cited the lack of opportunities for workers of respective parties in an alliance and the right to organisational growth as the major considerations for contesting solo, which raised a question mark over the opposition bloc's unity.
The Rajya Sabha member on Sunday asserted his party wants to go solo in the local bodies polls to strengthen its base and has never called for dissolution of the opposition INDIA bloc or the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which include the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP).
On Monday, while speaking about the INDIA bloc, Raut said, "It is the collective desire of all of us to progress further in the political landscape of this country. However, over the past few days, some of our alliance partners seem to have taken the stance that communication has broken down. No alliance can succeed if dialogue is severed."
"The INDIA bloc consists of nearly 30 parties and to maintain dialogue with all of them, it is essential to appoint some responsible leaders," Raut said.
He said Uddhav Thackeray has repeatedly emphasised this point during the INDIA bloc meetings and other senior leaders have also raised the issue.
On contesting elections against allies, Raut said there is nothing wrong in fighting polls against one another. In a state like Delhi, for example, the AAP and the Congress can compete. Similarly, in municipal elections (in Maharashtra), as we have suggested, a different approach might be necessary, he said.
"However, while considering such alternatives, no one should go to the extent of labelling their former or potential future allies as traitors. This is the stand of Uddhav Thackeray and the Shiv Sena (UBT)," he added.
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