Ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, internal differences within the INDIA bloc over leadership and the prime ministerial role have once again triggered controversy, with the opposition alliance yet to project a clear face for the top post.
Following a high-profile meeting of opposition parties in New Delhi, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was asked whether Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would be the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Banerjee, however, avoided giving a direct answer to the question. She initially deflected it by saying, "You will be the candidate," before adding, “We have a press conference tomorrow, we will tell you then."
The question of who should lead the opposition against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has remained a contentious issue since the INDIA bloc was formed in 2023. While the Congress has consistently backed Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, several alliance partners have been stayed back about publicly endorsing him.
Reacting to Banerjee’s remarks, BJP leader and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan targeted the opposition alliance, claiming that its own constituents were unwilling to accept Rahul Gandhi as their leader.
Chouhan described Gandhi’s latest political push as his '50th attempt' to establish and relaunch himself, and questioned how many more such attempts he would make.
Meanwhile, INDIA bloc leaders held another meeting and decided to organise joint "save democracy" marches and rallies. Banerjee said the opposition had repeatedly raised the issue of "vote theft" in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar and West Bengal, while also expressing concerns over alleged electoral manipulation during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
"Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav had raised the issue of vote theft in Bihar. We have also raised concerns over electoral manipulation in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar and Bengal, as well as in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections," Banerjee said.