There is a “desire, wish and hope for an alliance” on both sides, underscored Raghav Chadha amid a constant back-and-forth over seat-sharing talks between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with just days remaining before entries close for nomination for the October 5 Haryana polls.

The last date of filing nominations for the polls is September 12, and nomination papers can be withdrawn until September 12.

“I can only tell you that both the parties have a desire, a wish and hope for an alliance. The last date for nomination is 12th September. We will take a decision before 12. If we don’t agree or if there is no win-win situation, we will leave it,” Mr Chadha told reporters following a meeting with Congress in charge of the state.

The AAP leader stressed that he remains positive. Sources have said the Delhi-headquartered party wants to contest 10 of the state’s 90 Assembly seats. The Congress, though, is unwilling to concede more than seven, pointing to its ally’s performance in the Lok Sabha election.

“Talks are going on in a positive environment. Good discussions are going on. I am confident. I am hopeful that some good conclusion will definitely come out of the talks in the interest of Haryana, in the interest of the country, and in the interest of democracy. I cannot share the figures with you all,” Mr Chadha said.

#WATCH | On the possible alliance between AAP and Congress in the Haryana Assembly elections, AAP MP Raghav Chadha says “I do not want to make any statement on personal statements or individual seats. I can only tell you that both the parties have a desire, a wish and hope for an… pic.twitter.com/3LkBfzLdRq

— ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2024

Deepak Babaria, Congress in charge of Haryana, too echoed the same sentiment, adding that it is only a matter of days.

“Congress has given me this responsibility, and this was my second or third meeting with Raghav Chadha in the last two days. We are exchanging the locations and numbers, and we hope that the results will come out in two days. It depends; if it will be a win-win situation for both Congress and AAP, then we will go into a coalition; I am trying for that. It may happen (changes in the names of already declared candidates),” Mr Babaria said.

The parties – part of the INDIA bloc that united the opposition for the general election and stopped BJP short from getting a majority – reached an ‘in-principle deal on Wednesday.

Rahul Gandhi, now Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, nudged his party to carry on the alliance to defeat the BJP in Haryana, a heartland state where it has secured back-to-back wins in 2014 and 2019.

The BJP stumbled in the Lok Sabha polls, where it could hoover up only 5 out of 10 seats in Haryana. The AAP contested one seat and lost, while the Congress contested nine and won five, preventing a second successive clean sweep by the BJP.

Despite Mr Chadha’s projected positivity, there are rumblings within the party over the alliance talks.

Its Delhi MLA Somnath Bharti on Saturday said that the party must contest all 90 seats on its own, which is in line with Arvind Kejriwal’s similar statement in January. However, it has been eight months since Mr Kejriwal’s “going solo” statement and much has changed on the ground.

Mr Bharti, a three-time MLA from Malviya Nagar in Delhi, cited the Congress-AAP alliance in Delhi during the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year for the parties to go solo. The alliance lost 7-0 to BJP.

“Before AAP-Congress alliance is inked in Haryana, AAP must evaluate the effectiveness of similar alliance formed in Delhi during the Lok Sabha Election. While my national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal ji did roadshows for all three Congress candidates, senior leaders and cabinet ministers of AAP campaigned for all three Congress candidates, but AAP candidates, especially myself, were not supported at all, especially by Congress Delhi and local leaders,” Mr Bharti posted on X.

Mr Chadha refused to be drawn into any controversy and maintained that talks are on.

“Whether it is a statement by a leader of another party, or a statement by a leader of my party, or a matter of an individual seat, I will not comment on any person, allegation or seat. Hopefully, soon we will all come back to the media and give you some good news,” said the Rajya Sabha MP.

The AAP has been demanding at least one seat in Kurukshetra, say sources, adding that the party’s Plan-B is also ready in case it fails to get preferred seats and there’s no alliance.

Earlier in the week, the Congress released 32 names for the polls, featuring Olympian Vinesh Phogat from Julana, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi and state unit chief Udai Bhan from Hodal.

The votes will be counted on October 8.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.  

New Delhi:

Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has hit back at the argument given by Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the central agency CBI, during the court hearing on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest in the alleged excise policy scam. Questioning Mr Kejriwal’s petition, Mr Raju said in the Supreme Court if the top Court grants bail to AAP chief, it will demoralise the Delhi High Court. Countering his argument, Raghav Chadha said if the Sun rises from the east, it will be demoralise the West.

If Sun rises from the East, it will demoralise the West. https://t.co/2rIaXAKE57

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) September 5, 2024

The top court on Thursday reserved its order on Mr Kejriwal’s separate pleas seeking bail and challenging his arrest by the CBI in the alleged excise policy scam. He has filed two separate petitions challenging the denial of bail and against his arrest by the CBI in the the corruption case filed by the central agency.

Questioning the maintainability of Mr Kejriwal’s pleas, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju said that the AAP chief went to the Delhi High Court without going to the sessions court. He also said that even in the money laundering case in which Arvind Kejriwal had challenged his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), he was sent back by the Supreme court to the trial court.

“He approached the High court without going to the sessions court. This is my preliminary objection. On merits, trial court could have seen it first. The high court was made to see merits and it can only be in exceptional cases. In ordinary cases, sessions court has to be approached first.

“He seems to be an extraordinary person who requires different approach. When all other Aam Aaadmis (common people) go to the trial court for bail, there cannot be a special treatment for anyone,” Mr Raju told a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, reported news agency PTI.

If Supreme Court grants bail to Arvind Kejriwal, it will demoralise the Delhi High Court, Mr Raju said. “Don’t say that. Whatever order we pass, we will ensure nothing like that happens,” the bench assured Mr Raju.

The top court has earlier granted interim bail to the Mr Kejriwal in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case against him, but he remains in jail in the CBI case. This means that if the Supreme Court gives him the relief, the Delhi Chief Minister will walk out of prison after over five months.

ALSO READ | “Insurance Arrest By CBI”, Arvind Kejriwal Argues For Bail In Supreme Court

“Insurance Arrest By CBI”

Arvind Kejriwal told the court that the central agency did an “insurance arrest” after they realised that he could get bail in the ED case.

Arguing for AAP supremo, Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi said this is an unprecedented matter. The Delhi Chief Minister, he said, has got relief twice under the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The CBI, he said, had done as “insurance arrest”.

The CBI, he said, had arrested Mr Kejriwal after two years. “Three court orders are in my favour. This is an insurance arrest, so that he can be kept in jail,” Mr Singhvi said.

Seeking bail for the embattled AAP national convener, Mr Singhvi said every possible co-accused in the case has been released on bail, including Manish Sisodia, K Kavitha and Vijay Nayar.

Mr Raju replied that the co-accused who got bail from the top court had approached the trial court first which Kejriwal did not do.

Manish Sisodia, a former deputy chief minister who held the excise portfolio when the alleged scam took place, was granted bail on August 9 by the top court which also extended the same relief to K Kavitha on August 27.

ALSO READ | Supreme Court Reserves Order On Arvind Kejriwal’s Bail Request

New Delhi:

Making a strong pitch for reducing the minimum age for contesting elections, which is currently 25, AAP MP Raghav Chadha said in Parliament on Thursday that India is one of the youngest countries in the world in terms of the average age of its population and deserves representation which reflects that.

“We are a young country with old politicians, we must aspire to be a young country with young politicians,” Mr Chadha said in the Rajya Sabha, advocating for the age to be reduced to 21. 

As the 35-year got up to speak on the issue, there was also banter between him and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, who asked the AAP MP in jest whether he wanted to enter Parliament at an even younger age.

With a laugh, Mr Chadha replied. “I’ll tell you, sir. The issue is close to my heart… India, with an average age of 29 years, is one of the youngest countries in the world. In our country, 65% of the population is less than 35 years old and over 50% is less than 25 years old. But are our politicians and elected representatives as young? 

“You will be surprised to know that, in the first Lok Sabha, 26% of the people were less than 40 years old and the just-dissolved 17th Lok Sabha had only 12% people in that age group. So, as the country is getting younger, our elected representatives are getting older,” he added.

Laying out a possible reason for this, the AAP MP said this is because politics is considered to be a “bad profession”. When parents think of professions for their children, he said, they want them to be doctors, engineers, sportspersons, scientists and chartered accountants, but not politicians. 

“We have to incentivise the youth to join mainstream politics. The minimum age for contesting Lok Sabha and Assembly elections is 25 and, through you, I would request the government to reduce that to 21… When a person can vote at the age of 18, pick the government and play a role in deciding the future of the country, why can’t he contest elections at the age of 21,” he asked. 

New Delhi:

In the ongoing session of Parliament, AAP leader Raghav Chadha raised the demand to bring back the golden throne of Maharaja Ranjit Singh from the UK. The Rajya Sabha MP requested the government to bring back the throne to India with an aim of reclaiming the country’s rich cultural heritage.

The throne is currently kept at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. A symbol of the legendary king’s power and legacy, it has been on display in the UK for centuries.

In his speech, Mr Chadha emphasized the significance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s life and rule, highlighting his gallantry, state policies, and humanity. He urged the government to use diplomatic relations with the UK to retrieve the throne, inspiring future generations with the king’s remarkable story.

“I demand that the government of India should speak to the UK government by using its diplomatic relations and make an effort to bring back that throne to India. That throne should come back to our country. We get inspiration from the life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh,” Mr Chadha said.

Today in Parliament, I demanded the repatriation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji’s royal throne currently placed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. I urged the Govt of India to press into service its diplomatic relations with United Kingdom for the same.

His legendary… pic.twitter.com/xNEgevuOla

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) July 24, 2024

Maharaja Ranjit Singh, also known as the “Lion of Punjab,” was a prominent figure in Indian history, ruling the Sikh Empire from 1801 to 1839. He united Punjab, promoted secular values, justice, equality, and cultural heritage, and his legacy extends beyond India’s borders.

Raghav Chadha’s demand comes with a call to incorporate Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s incredible legacy and contributions into school textbooks, ensuring that students learn about his journey and good governance. This move aims to revive interest in India’s rich history and cultural icons, promoting national pride and unity.

“I also demanded that we incorporate the incredible legacy and contributions of Maharaja Ranjit Singh ji to our history, in our school textbooks so that students can learn about his journey and good governance,” the AAP leader said on X (formerly Twitter).

New Delhi:

AAP MP Raghav Chadha will not have to vacate his government bungalow after the Delhi High Court set aside a trial court order today.

Mr Chadha had appealed a trial court order that lifted an interim order preventing the Rajya Sabha secretariat from removing him from the government bungalow allotted to him.

In a post on X, the Aam Aadmi Party MP said, “This fight isn’t about a house or a shop, it’s about saving the Constitution.”

“The cancellation of this allotment was a clear case of political vendetta, aimed at silencing a young, vocal parliamentarian… Opposition voices, those who represent the concerns of millions of Indians, are being deliberately targeted,” Mr Chadha said in the post on X.

He said he has given two speeches in parliament criticising the BJP-led centre, and his official accommodation was cancelled after his first speech.

“After my second speech, my membership as a parliamentarian was suspended. No parliamentarian can function if he is made to worry about what his forthright and honest speech will cost him next,” Mr Chadha said in the statement he posted on X.

Ye makan ya dukan ki nahin, Samvidhan ko bachane ki ladhayi hai
In the end, truth and justice have prevailed

My statement on the Hon’ble Delhi High Court’s ruling to set aside the unjust order to evict me from my official residence. pic.twitter.com/fA7BJ2zLYm

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) October 17, 2023

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani has revived an April 18 order of the trial court, which had directed the Rajya Sabha Secretariat not to evict Mr Chadha.

The trial court had ruled that Mr Chadha does not have an absolute right to continue to occupy his government bungalow during his entire tenure as a Rajya Sabha MP, even after the cancellation of the allotment.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Mr Chadha’s case, challenging his suspension from the Rajya Sabha. Mr Chadha was suspended for allegedly forging signatures of other MPs and proposing their names for a committee without their consent.

The court has instructed the Rajya Sabha secretariat to address the accusations and has also requested the assistance of the Attorney General of India R Venkataramani. The case will be resumed on October 30.

Mr Chadha was suspended from the Rajya Sabha in August after four MPs accused him of including their names in a committee without their consent. 
 

Israeli armored personnel carriers head toward the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel, October 15, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP

One million Gazans displaced in a week, says UN as Israel readies for ground attack

More than one million people have been displaced in the Gaza Strip in the last week, the UN said Sunday, after sustained Israeli bombardment and warnings about a ground attack targeting Hamas commanders.

Seven days of relentless bombing targeting those who masterminded the attack have flattened neighbourhoods and left at least 2,670 people dead in the Gaza Strip, the majority ordinary Palestinians.

Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls | SP says it will contest the election in alliance with Congress

The Samajwadi Party and the Congress, both members of the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), have worked out a seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. On Sunday, SP leaders expressed confidence that an INDIA bloc government led by the Congress would be formed in the State.

Congress won’t repeat 30% of Rajasthan MLAs, says party’s State chief

The Congress is likely to replace up to 30% of its sitting MLAs in the coming Rajasthan Assembly election, the party’s State unit president, Govind Singh Dotasra, told The Hindu on Sunday.

Mr. Dotasra mocked the BJP for fielding “failed” MPs in the Assembly election to deflect an anti-incumbency trend against the Union government ahead of the Lok Sabha election in 2024.

BJP MP accuses Mahua Moitra of ‘taking cash to ask questions’

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey complained to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday that Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra had allegedly taken bribes from a business house to ask questions in Parliament.

Ms. Moitra denied the allegations and urged the Speaker to first complete the “probe” into Mr. Dubey’s educational qualifications and then hold an investigation into the allegations against her.

New investment slowed again in Q2 of FY24, drops by 13%

Fresh investment announcements in the July-to-September quarter, the second quarter of 2023-24, have dropped to ₹6.9 lakh crore, 13% lower than the first quarter, and 21.5% down from a year ago, driven by a sharp dip in proposed outlays by the Union government and foreign investors, and a broad-based contraction across the manufacturing, mining, infrastructure, and electricity sectors.

ICC World Cup: ENG vs AFG | Gritty Afghanistan leaves England shellshocked

In the past, Afghanistan has let teams like India and Pakistan off the hook in the World Cup. The gritty fighters, with a display of fearless trading of wickets for quick runs, have often paid the price for their inexperience in dealing with the ‘big’ moments of the game.

SC to hear AAP leader Raghav Chadha’s plea against ‘indefinite’ suspension from Rajya Sabha

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on October 16 a plea moved by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha, challenging his indefinite suspension from the Rajya Sabha.

A bench of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices J. B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is scheduled to hear the plea of Mr. Chadha, who was suspended on the last day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on August 11 for “gross violation of rules, misconduct, defiant attitude and contemptuous conduct”, pending a report by the privileges committee.

Study estimates count of UAVs required for the three Services

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan recently ordered two studies to be conducted on major military platforms used by all three services. According to defence sources these platforms are Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and armoured helicopters. The study on UAVs has since been completed with a recommendation to acquire 31 MQ-9B High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAVs and 155 Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs.

UN aid chief says six months of war in Sudan has killed 9,000 people

Six months of war between Sudan’s military and a powerful paramilitary group has killed up to 9,000 people and created “one of the worst humanitarian nightmares in recent history,” the United Nations humanitarian chief said Sunday.

Centre may raise retirement age of scientists from 60 to 65

The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) is working on a proposal to increase the retirement age of scientists to 65.

Its larger purpose, sources suggest, is to stem the flight of its top, senior scientists to universities and the Indian Institutes of Technology, where the retirement age is 65, The Hindu has learnt.

Railways comes up with innovations to tackle freezing of water in winter

The process of linking Kashmir to Kanyakumari through the new Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project posed a unique challenge to the Indian Railways — that of maintaining water and fuel in liquid form in sub-zero temperatures during the freezing winters of the north. To circumvent the problem of water freezing in toilets and in fuel tanks, engineers at the Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala have designed and implemented indigenous innovations.

Kaziranga reopens with tribute to British-era officer

The Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve reopened on Sunday with a literary tribute to a British-era forest officer who rid its name of any hunting connotations.

Poland’s opposition leader says three parties have enough votes to unseat the Law and Justice party

Polish opposition leader Donald Tusk said that three opposition parties had sufficient votes to win the general election on Sunday after an exit poll projected that they had enough combined support to oust Law and Justice, the governing conservative nationalist party.

New Delhi:

Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha has approached the Supreme Court today challenging his suspension from the Rajya Sabha. He was suspended from the Upper House of the Parliament on August 1 for “breach of privilege” after four MPs alleged that he had violated rules by naming them in a House panel without their consent.

“People from the BJP are saying I submitted some MPs’ signatures. I want to tell you the truth. Any parliamentarian has the right to nominate names for a committee. This means that I can propose names for a select committee. I don’t need an MP’s written consent or signature to do so. You just have to give the names. If any MP has an objection, they can withdraw their name. We have not submitted any signatures,” the AAP leader said after his suspension,

The Rajya Sabha passed a resolution moved by leader of the House Piyush Goyal to suspend Mr Chadha till the privileges committee submits its findings. Mr Goyal had sought action against the AAP leader for including names of some members of the Upper House without their consent in a proposed select committee for the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Raghav Chadha is the second AAP MP to be suspended from Rajya Sabha during Parliament’s Monsoon session. Senior leader Sanjay Singh – who was arrested on October 4 by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case – was suspended from the Rajya Sabha on July 24.

Earlier in the day, Mr Chadha approached the Delhi High Court challenging a local court’s order that vacated an interim order concerning his stay at the official government bungalow allotted to him.

He was given a Type 6 bungalow in July last year and had requested the Rajya Sabha Chairman for a bigger, Type 7 accommodation, which was allotted to him in September that year. In March, however, the secretariat had cancelled the allotment, arguing that the first-time MP was not entitled to a bungalow of that grade.

“Arbitrary and unprecedented,” was how Mr Chadha described the cancellation of his allotted bungalow.

“This along with my suspension as a Member of Parliament, which was initiated by the treasury benches, leaves no doubt that the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to target vocal Members of Parliament. This amounts to unwarranted interference in the due discharge of their functions as the Representatives of the House and hits a rock bottom of vendetta politics,” he added.

New Delhi:

In a setback for AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, a Delhi court has ruled that he has no right to continue to occupy the government bungalow given to him after the allotment was cancelled. The court has lifted the interim stay granted to Mr Chadha, which means that the Rajya Sabha Secretariat can ask him to vacate the bungalow anytime. 

In a statement released after the court order, the AAP leader termed the cancellation of the allotment arbitrary and unprecedented, and alleged that it was done at the “dictates of the BJP to further their political motives and vested interest”.

Mr Chadha was given a Type 6 bungalow in July last year and had requested the Rajya Sabha Chairman for a bigger, Type 7 accommodation, which was allotted to him in September that year. In March, however, the secretariat had cancelled the allotment, arguing that the first-time MP was not entitled to a bungalow of that grade.

The AAP MP was asked to vacate the bungalow, which is in central Delhi’s Pandara Road, and had moved Delhi’s Patiala House court against the order. The court had granted an interim stay on April 18. 

Lifting the stay on Friday, the Patiala House court said Mr Chadha could not claim an absolute right to occupy the bungalow.

“Plaintiff cannot claim that he has an absolute right to continue to occupy the accommodation during his entire tenure as a Member of Rajya Sabha. The allotment of Government accommodation is only a privilege given to the plaintiff and he has no vested right to continue to occupy the same even after the cancellation of allotment,” the court said in its order. 

The judge remarked that the argument that the allotment, once made, cannot be cancelled under any circumstances during the MP’s entire tenure “deserves rejection”. The court also pointed out that, as a Member of Parliament, Mr Chadha has no vested right in the accommodation and his status was similar to that of a licensee.

‘Above His Grade’

In June, the Rajya Sabha housing committee had said that the Type 7 bungalow was above Mr Chadha’s grade as a first-time MP and that such accommodations are usually assigned to former Union Ministers, former governors or former chief ministers. 

The head of the committee had also pointed out that BJP MP Radha Mohan Das had been moved from a Type 7 to a Type 5 bungalow as well.

New Delhi:

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann landed in Rajasthan’s Udaipur today ahead of the wedding of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha and actor Parineeti Chopra.

Other politicians and film personalities will attend the pre-wedding events today and the main ceremony tomorrow at The Leela Palace.

Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha, accompanied by their families, landed at Udaipur airport earlier today, from where they left for their hotels.

The two, both 34 years old, got engaged in May in Delhi in a private ceremony attended by family members and political leaders.

Parineeti Chopra’s cousin Priyanka Chopra also shared a wish all the way from Los Angeles. Priyanka’s recent Instagram activity seems to suggest that she will be absent from Parineeti’s wedding.

Yesterday, unconfirmed media reports speculated that the Citadel star would not be attending the festivities. In an Instagram Story, Priyanka shared a happy picture of Parineeti and tagging her and Raghav Chadha, she wrote, “I hope you are as happy and as content as this on your big day little one… Always wishing you so much love…#Newbeginnings.”

AAP MP Sanjay Singh was among the guests who arrived at Udaipur to attend the wedding. “I congratulate Raghav and Parineeti on the new chapter of their lives. May God fulfil all their wishes. Today and tomorrow is the wedding ceremony and all the people will join it,” Sanjay Singh told news agency ANI.

A few days ago, Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha hosted a Sufi night for their close friends and family members in Delhi.

While Priyanka Chopra gave it a miss, the actor’s mother Madhu Chopra and brother Siddharth marked their presence at the special function organised at Raghav Chadha’s house.

Prior to the musical night, the couple sought blessings at a gurdwara in Delhi, where they participated in ardas and kirtan.

New Delhi:

Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha on Monday took a break from wedding preps – the Rajya Sabha MP is expected to marry actor Parineeti Chopra in Rajasthan this month – to take a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party after it was dumped by Tamil Nadu ally All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Mr Chadha – whose AAP is part of the INDIA bloc – quoted a NDTV alert – and said, “Whenever someone tried to break INDIA, it itself broke and disintegrated… same thing happened today…”

“Our INDIA alliance was strong yesterday and is strong even today… but sadly the NDA (the BJP-led national alliance) which throws stones at other people’s houses could not save its own house.”

जब भी किसी ने ‘INDIA’ को तोड़ने की कोशिश करी, वो खुद टूटकर भिखर गया…

आज भी ऐसा ही हुआ

हमारा INDIA गठबंधन तो कल भी मज़बूत था आज भी मज़बूत है, मगर अफसोस की दूसरों के घरों पर पत्थर मारने वाला NDA अपना घर ही नहीं बचा पाया। https://t.co/OKhfmjXMyd

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) September 18, 2023

Mr Chadha’s comment comes amid reports of disagreements and infighting within INDIA, particularly as it negotiates seat-sharing pacts in Bengal, Delhi and Punjab. 

READ | Need To Fight Together With INDIA Bloc: Sonia Gandhi’s Unity Message

The AAP is the ruling party in the latter two states and there are whispers that some within the party do not look kindly on an alliance with the Congress. And in Bengal (and Kerala) there are more than mere whispers after the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said it would not ally with anyone.

READ | Left Blow To INDIA Unity? No Bengal, Kerala Tie-Ups, Say Sources

The CPIM’s main rivals are the Congress and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool.

Nilotpal Basu, a former Rajya Sabha MP, told NDTV “there are differences (within INDIA)… it is a reality” but left his foot in the door, saying the decision “doesn’t negate a (future) alliance”.

However, in Tamil Nadu the Congress and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam – the AIADMK’s sworn rival – have all but agreed terms to continue what has been, so far, a successful alliance.

AIADMK v BJP In Tamil Nadu?

Earlier today senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar said his party had broken ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party with the 2024 Lok Sabha election and state polls around the corner. 

The party is furious about BJP state unit leader K Annamalai’s comments on the late CN Annadurai, who was AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran’s mentor.

READ | AIADMK Says No BJP Alliance For Now, Will Decide Before Polls

Mr Annamalai frequently mocks both his ally and rival – – leading to talk the BJP is trying to play one Dravidian party against the other to create space for itself in a state that has historically rejected it.

However, top BJP sources have told NDTV the squabble will be sorted out.