Cong should take blame if allies feel INDIA bloc is disintegrating: Raut

Mumbai, PTI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said it was the responsibility of the Congress to keep the INDIA bloc intact as it was the largest party in the opposition alliance. Raut's statement came in the backdrop of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's remarks expressing dismay over the lack of clarity on INDIA bloc leadership and agenda, and saying the alliance should be wound up if it was meant only for the 2024 parliamentary elections. "If the alliance partners feel the INDIA bloc was only for the Lok Sabha polls and doesn't exist now, the Congress is to be blamed (for this situation).

There has been no communication, dialogue (among constituents). We fought the Lok Sabha elections (together) and got good results. There should have been a meeting (of INDIA) to chalk out future plans and it was the Congress' responsibility to take initiative in this regard," he asserted. Lack of communication among partners in the anti- BJP grouping is giving an impression that all is not well in the bloc which has more than two dozen parties, emphasised the Rajya Sabha MP.

"There is no communication, dialogue, discussion (among allies). This means there is confusion in the minds of all whether every thing is fine within the alliance," he noted. Raut warned that if the alliance, which took shape before the 2024 parliamentary polls, breaks, it cannot be revived. "If the alliance was only for the Lok Sabha polls, then declare the INDIA bloc doesn't exist anymore. (In that case), all the allies are free to chose their own path," the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader maintained. "The INDIA bloc was formed for the Lok Sabha polls. But the Congress should take responsibility to keep everyone together. We need to correct past mistakes. Dissolving the opposition grouping will be an extreme step," Raut cautioned.

Raut said even at the time of Maharashtra assembly polls in November last year, the Congress central leadership did not intervene when its state unit was driving hard bargaining during seat-sharing talks. "There were several assembly seats where the NCP (SP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT) had good candidates, but the Congress did not give up claim on those seats.