The proposed rally of the opposition INDIA alliance in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, scheduled for the first week of October, has been canceled, according to former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, a senior Congress leader. Discussions surrounding the rally are ongoing with Congress President and other INDIA alliance partners, stated Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala, adding that no final decision has been reached regarding the rally’s new date and location.
The cancellation of the rally has stirred controversy, with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging that it is a result of public anger over what he perceives as an insult to Sanatana Dharma.
“This is the anger of the public. Sanatana Dharma was insulted and was called dengue and Malaria. The people of Madhya Pradesh will not tolerate this insult of Sanatana Dharma. INDIA alliance must understand that they have hurt our faith, and this won’t be tolerated at any cost. People of MP are angry, and they (INDIA alliance) were scared; therefore, they canceled their rally. The public’s anger is against the INDIA bloc and Congress. The public will not leave them,” asserted Chouhan, emphasizing the strength of public sentiment.
Chouhan took the opportunity to critique the Congress party, alleging internal chaos and disputes over whose photographs should be featured on campaign posters. In contrast, he claimed that the BJP maintains a cohesive and focused approach during election campaigns.
The INDIA alliance, consisting of multiple opposition parties, had initially planned to hold their first joint public meeting in Bhopal, a significant political move in the lead-up to the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. However, the cancellation has prompted speculation and further scrutiny of the alliance’s dynamics.
The first meeting of the Coordination Committee of the INDIA alliance took place at the residence of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar in the national capital.
Kamal Nath and Randeep Surjewala addressed the media in Bhopal regarding their party’s state-wide ‘Jan Akrosh Yatra,’ which translates to a public anger march, scheduled ahead of the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress party announced that seven Jan Akrosh Yatras would commence on September 19, covering 11,400 kilometers across all 230 assembly segments in the state within 15 days. The yatras will be led by senior leaders, including veteran Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Madhya Pradesh assembly, Dr. Govind Singh, along with other prominent figures.
When asked about the potential Chief Minister if Congress were to come to power in the state, Randeep Surjewala pointed towards Kamal Nath, who was seated beside him. He noted that the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s top decision-making body, would ultimately decide whether Kamal Nath contests the elections.
Sources By Agencies
