The BJP has launched a sharp political attack on the Congress after senior party leader Union Minister P Chidambaram publicly raised doubts over the cohesion and future of the INDIA opposition bloc. His candid remarks, made during the launch of a book co-authored by Congress leader Salman Khurshid and Mrityunjay Singh Yadav, gave the ruling party fresh ammunition ahead of critical state elections and the looming 2029 general polls.
At the event on Thursday, Chidambaram remarked that the INDIA alliance formed in 2023 to unite non-BJP forces seemed fragile and uncertain. He acknowledged that while efforts were being made to keep it intact, the alliance currently lacked the strength and direction needed to challenge the BJP's dominance.
“The future is not so bright as Mr Mrityunjay Singh Yadav says. He seems to feel that the INDIA alliance is still intact. I am not sure,” Chidambaram said. He added, “If the INDIA alliance is totally intact... I would be very, very happy, but it seems frail. It can be put together. There is still time.”
His comments didn’t stop there. In a more serious tone, Chidambaram issued a warning about the BJP's organisational strength, stating, “In my experience, in my reading of history, there has been no political party which is so formidably organised as the BJP. It is not just another political party.”
Reacting swiftly, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to highlight Chidambaram’s remarks. "Even Rahul Gandhi's close aides know Congress has no future!" he posted, suggesting that the Congress party’s internal leadership is losing confidence in its own alliance strategy.
So far, there has been no official response from either Chidambaram or the Congress leadership on the BJP's comments. However, the timing of this exchange is crucial. Several important state elections are due in the coming years Bihar in 2025, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu in 2026, and Uttar Pradesh in 2027. These elections will serve as precursors to the 2029 Lok Sabha battle.
States like Bengal and Tamil Nadu have historically resisted the BJP’s expansionist politics, remaining under the leadership of regional giants like Mamata Banerjee and MK Stalin. But the BJP has intensified its efforts in these areas, escalating rhetoric and targeting regional leaderships. Victory in any of these states could mark a turning point for the saffron party in its aim to dominate federal and state politics.
Chidambaram’s remarks are particularly significant in the context of growing dissatisfaction within the INDIA bloc. Formed after repeated opposition defeats including the BJP’s commanding 303-seat win in 2019 the bloc has struggled to present a united front. Internal tensions, especially regarding seat-sharing and leadership roles, have repeatedly surfaced. The Congress’ poor performance in the 2024 Haryana elections, where it refused to align with AAP despite being in the same alliance, was a key flashpoint.
Salman Khurshid, co-author of the book and also a senior Congress leader, later acknowledged the need for a functional and respectful alliance. He admitted that the Congress had “ceded” leadership status in favour of building the INDIA bloc but insisted that cooperation was necessary for defeating the BJP’s rising influence. As India heads toward a decisive political phase, Chidambaram's candid reflections and the BJP's rapid response underline the widening fault lines in opposition unity. Whether the INDIA bloc can regroup and present a cohesive challenge remains to be seen but the BJP is already using internal doubts to further its narrative of Congress collapse and unchallenged political dominance.
