New Delhi:
The Opposition alliance is battling with an internal rift. Cracks have emerged between the Congress and the Left parties, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi facing criticism from his allies over his refusal to hug former Kerala chief minister and one of the tallest CPM leaders, Pinarayi Vijayan, at a gathering last week.
In an audio speech from the June 8 meeting of the INDIA bloc, Gandhi was heard saying that he would not hug Vijayan since he has an ongoing political fight with him.
“We have our fights, but if you are asking me to go and hug the ex-Chief Minister of Kerala, I cannot and I will not because I have an ongoing political fight with him,” he is heard saying.
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The CPM and Congress are arch-rivals in Kerala, with the latter recently dethroning Vijayan after two consecutive terms in power, though both remain allies at the national level.
Gandhi’s remark sparked a major controversy with the alliance, raising questions over the future of opposition unity.
Vijayan said hugging is never the norm between them, and their interaction is typically limited to a formal greeting or a handshake. He also pointed out that visuals of his 2018 hug for Prime Minister Narendra Modi were all over the internet.
“My objection is not the act of hugging itself. What concerns me is the political message behind the remarks. It reflects Rahul Gandhi’s approach and how he perceives the INDIA alliance,” Vijayan told reporters.
The Left quickly turned up the heat on its alliance partner, with CPI(M) general secretary and former MP, MA Baby, saying that nobody has asked Gandhi to hug Vijayan, but he must stop demanding the latter’s arrest. Party MP, John Brittas, stressed it was not a question of embracing, but one about the integrity of the INDIA bloc politics.
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“We don’t want any hugs from anybody. Communists don’t need hugs. We need clear politics. Rahul Gandhi, keep your hugs to yourself. But as the LoP, please respect leaders of the opposition like Pinarayi Vijayan,” said senior leader Brinda Karat.
The BJP ripped into the Congress and called the Opposition bloc an alliance of convenience.
“The INDI alliance has only division and no mission. It is only on paper, but not in reality. Dal photo op ke liye mil sakte hai par dil nahi mil sakte hai (they may come together for photo ops, but they are never on the same page),” said BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala.
