Akhilesh Yadav Labels Congress As 'Chalu' Party Amid Seat Distribution Conflict

In a continuation of his ongoing spate of attacks on the Congress, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the party during a public meeting in the poll-bound state of Madhya Pradesh, referring to it as a "chalu" (cheat) party amidst tensions over seat distribution within the INDIA bloc. Yadav expressed doubts about supporting either the BJP or Congress, citing concerns related to ration distribution. He also criticized the Congress for advocating a caste-based census, insinuating it was a move driven by electoral considerations rather than a genuine commitment to social justice.

The ongoing discord between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party has given rise to a series of verbal spats and snide remarks by Yadav against his political allies within the opposition alliance. Notably, the Congress had previously denied seats to the Samajwadi Party in Madhya Pradesh, asserting that the INDIA bloc was primarily intended for national politics, not regional elections. In response, Yadav characterized the Congress's actions as a "betrayal."

This political rift between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party has presented an opportunity for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to critique the INDIA bloc, asserting that the opposition alliance is showing signs of disintegration even before its formation. The BJP's Railway Minister, Piyush Goyal, quipped that the parties within the alliance were competing against each other in various state assembly elections, transforming the once-hyped alliance into an "indie zero" coalition.