INDI alliance nothing but an alliance of defeated people: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma calls the INDI alliance an alliance of defeated people and demands an apology from Rahul Gandhi over ECI allegations.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi on Sunday, labeling the INDI alliance as a collection of "defeated, frustrated people". The Chief Minister's remarks come amidst a growing controversy involving the Election Commission of India (ECI) and allegations made by the opposition regarding the functioning of the poll body.
Demands for Apology Over ECI Confusion
Sarma demanded an immediate apology from Rahul Gandhi for allegedly spreading misinformation and creating confusion among the public regarding the Election Commission. The controversy erupted following reports suggesting internal disagreements within the commission, which the opposition used to question the integrity of the electoral process.
Addressing the media, Sarma highlighted that the Election Commission had already clarified its position. "The full commission, in a single frame, declared that all decisions were taken unanimously," Sarma stated, referring to the Special Internal Review (SIR) of electoral rolls. He questioned the basis of the attacks on the institution, noting that the ECI had confirmed that all decisions were made collectively rather than unilaterally by the Chief Election Commissioner.
"Introspection Needed" on Electoral Losses
The Assam Chief Minister did not stop at the ECI row, instead turning his focus toward the Congress party's repeated electoral failures. He urged Rahul Gandhi to engage in deep introspection to understand why the party continues to face rejection by the electorate across various states.
Sarma pointed out a pattern in the opposition's response to defeat, stating:
- The Congress party fails to analyze the actual reasons behind their losses.
- There is a tendency to shift blame toward technicalities like EVMs whenever an election is lost.
- The party avoids visiting states where they have suffered significant defeats to study the ground reality.
He further reminded the public that even during the Manmohan Singh era, when the Election Commission was appointed by the Congress-led government, the party faced major electoral defeats in 2014.
The INDI Alliance and Democracy
Regarding the upcoming meetings of the INDIA bloc, Sarma dismissed their efforts as futile. He claimed that the primary objective of this alliance is to undermine the democratic fabric of the nation rather than offering a constructive alternative to the voters.
"The INDI alliance is nothing but an alliance of defeated people, frustrated people. Their only idea is to weaken the democracy of this country," Sarma remarked, adding that their political maneuvers would fail to gain traction with the Indian citizens.
Context of the Controversy
The political heat intensified following a report suggesting that certain Election Commissioners had raised objections regarding decisions and procedures during the SIR exercise. This led opposition heavyweights, including the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), Trinamool Congress, and Shiv Sena (UBT), to demand the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.
Rahul Gandhi had previously leveled serious accusations against the CEC, using terms like "match-fixing elections." However, the Election Commission of India has firmly rejected these claims, maintaining that the SIR process followed all established protocols and received the unanimous approval of the entire Commission.