Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday questioned the unity of the INDIA bloc, implying that alliances should be nurtured throughout, and not merely in election periods.
Speaking at the release of the book Contesting Democratic Deficit at the India International Centre here, the former Home Minister stated, "The future doesn't look as promising as Mr. Mritunjay Singh Yadav believes."
He believes the INDIA alliance remains intact. I don't know. Maybe Salman (Khurshid) will be able to respond to that more because he negotiated the alliance. If the alliance remains intact, I'd be extremely happy — but based on what we see, it looks brittle. It can be restored, though. There is still time and things to unfold.
The book is written jointly by senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid and Mritunjay Singh Yadav.
Sharing his own view on political alliances, Chidambaram further said, "I see coalitions differently. Having been involved in alliance politics in Tamil Nadu all these years, I think you can't switch on and off an alliance when elections are near. Five years go into making an alliance. Only Kerala and Tamil Nadu have seen alliances that have survived victories and defeats over the years."
Addressing the challenge posed by the ruling BJP, Chidambaram observed, “To take on the BJP, which is a powerful and deeply organised force, is no small task. I’ve never seen a political party as systematically structured as the BJP. It’s not just a party — it’s a well-oiled machine, with another machine operating behind it. All together, they shape and in many places control institutions throughout the country — from the Election Commission to the most isolated police station. It is a strong system, nearly up to the level which a democracy can bear, a one-party state system model. I don't want to say we are one, but the comparison is worth mentioning.
Salman Khurshid, too, during the function, mentioned the problems within the INDIA bloc, and stated, "Alliance-building requires mutual respect among parties. In the book, we mention the instances where our concerns were set aside. You can't push and squeeze your allies, and then speak about unity."
Read also| India's Defence Budget Surges Over 100% in 11 Years to Strengthen Armed Forces
