NEW DELHI: In the last few weeks, 65 parties have joined either the BJP-led or the Congress-led coalition. But it does not capture the entire political landscape of the country. There are 11 political parties that are maintaining a neutral stand and collectively they have 91 MPs.
Their neutrality at a time of heightened political activities is keeping parties, including the BJP and the Congress on tenterhooks. Sources said three states – Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha – will play a “deciding role” in shaping the government at the Centre as they send 63 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The Grand Old Party and 25 other opposition parties have come together under a coalition front named Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to challenge the BJP-led NDA.
A reading of the prevailing political situation says 11 parties, namely YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), All-India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S), Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) and SAD (Mann) are on neutral stand. “And if they continued with neutrality, their presence in many states will not allow a cakewalk to the parties lobbied with NDA or INDIA,” said a political observer.
YSRCP, which had swept the election in Andhra Pradesh in 2019, and BJD, which has been ruling Odisha since 2000, have largely voted in favour of the BJP-led government in the Parliament. BRS, which is in power in Telangana, has also not taken a side in the two lobbies. Same is with the Mayawati-led BSP, which has nine LS MPs.
Complaint against Oppn
A complaint has been filed at Barakhamba police station in New Delhi against 26 Opposition parties “for improper use of the name INDIA” by one Dr Avinish Mishra. This comes a day after the parties stitched an alliance and named it INDIA.