Mumbai: Shiv Shen (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday called for making the Opposition's INDIA bloc strong. Raut's statement came days after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that the Opposition's alliance should be dissolved as it was created for Lok Sabha polls. While interacting with the media, Raut said that he did not believe in Abdullah's statement.
"...INDIA alliance should be strong... I don't believe what Omar Abdullah said that the INDIA alliance was formed for Lok Sabha," the Shiv Sena UBT leader said. Notably, no meeting of the Opposition's bloc took place after the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
Sanjay Raut's Statement:
#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
Reminding the Congress of its role in the alliance, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader stated, "This alliance was definitely formed for Lok Sabha and we fought well, however after that, no meeting of the INDIA alliance was held, which is unfortunate. This responsibility is of Congress as it is in the role of the elder brother in the alliance."
Raut called for regular talks between the leaders of the INDIA bloc. "In the coming days, if the INDIA Bloc has to be saved or made stronger, then first of all dialogue is necessary," he said.
On Wednesday, Abdullah said that Aam Admi Party (AAP), the Congress and other political parties should figure out how to fight with the BJP in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.
"As of now, I can't say anything on this issue. Because we do not have a connection with the Delhi assembly polls. The Aam Admi Party, Congress and the political parties on the ground there should decide how to fight in a better way with the BJP," he told reporters on a question regarding the INDIA alliance providing much support to AAP over the Congress.
Notably, reports of a rift in the INDIA bloc surfaced after the Congress and the AAP, which are members of the Opposition's alliance, targeted each other during the assembly elections in Delhi. Even cracks were also reported in the Opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra after the poll drubbing. The Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction are part of the MVA.