Gandhi basically told allies and opponents that only Congress can win against Modi and the BJP. He made this point after the BJP did well in West Bengal, and other opposition parties were thinking about what their next steps should be. He wants them to realize, and to write it down, that Congress is the only option.
He says the fight is about two completely different ways of thinking: the RSS (linked to the BJP) promotes hate and division, while Congress stands for love and bringing people together. He made this point in a video filmed in Gurugram, and it was both a way to motivate Congress members and to show where they stand within the opposition.
Tamil Nadu pivot reshapes alliances
At almost the same time in Chennai, C Joseph Vijay (an actor who’s now in politics) went to Lok Bhavan with letters of support from Congress and others, meaning he has enough backing to become the leader. Congress’s letter of support to Vijay is significant because it’s a clear break from the DMK, who they’ve worked with for years.
The DMK leadership called Congress’s move a huge betrayal. They say Congress was given one seat in the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of Parliament) and allowed to run in 28 state assembly districts as part of the DMK alliance. TKS Elangovan, a DMK leader, said the INDIA alliance is finished and they will form a new one.
The results in Tamil Nadu are important here. Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam won 108 seats (a lot!), and this left the DMK-led alliance and the AIADMK-BJP alliance far behind. Congress said they had to support Vijay to stop the BJP and its partners (who they consider to be focused on religion) from gaining power. A DMK member of Parliament asked to be moved to a different seat in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of Parliament) so they aren’t sitting near anyone from Congress.
Shockwaves beyond Chennai
Akhilesh Yadav (from Uttar Pradesh) posted pictures with Mamata Banerjee and MK Stalin, saying they don’t leave allies when things get difficult. Kanimozhi (from Tamil Nadu) thanked him, and this shows how the trouble in Tamil Nadu quickly spread to the larger opposition.
In quick succession, opposition politics experienced these shifts:
– Congress backs Vijay in Tamil Nadu, splits with DMK.
– DMK brands move a betrayal, signals alliance reframe.
– SP hints at loyalty to allies amid strain.
– TMC seeks wider support after Bengal loss.
– BJP calls it the INDIA bloc’s last rites.
The situation in West Bengal is also unstable. The BJP won a large majority with 202 seats in West Bengal, ending Mamata Banerjee’s fifteen-year rule. She claims the election was unfairly won, welcomed support from Congress, the SP, AAP and others, and said she is now “free” to fight Modi.
During the election in West Bengal, Rahul Gandhi accused Mamata Banerjee of helping the BJP. After the election, he told others in his party not to be happy about it, and said the BJP taking control of both Assam and West Bengal is a big step towards destroying India’s democracy. He wants everyone to forget small disagreements.
Alliance equations in flux
The BJP quickly took advantage of the split between the DMK and Congress. Shehzad Poonawalla, a BJP spokesperson, said this break is essentially the end of the INDIA alliance. The BJP believes that any disagreement between opposition parties means they won’t have to fight a combined force in important states.
The INDIA alliance was formed in the middle of 2023 to try to challenge the BJP across the country in the 2024 election. It didn’t remove Modi from power, but it did reduce the number of seats the BJP won. Now, nearly two years into Modi’s third term, the problems after the state elections have revealed differences and brought up questions about who’s in charge.
Stakes ahead: Uttar Pradesh and beyond
Uttar Pradesh will be the next major challenge. In the 2024 election for the Lok Sabha (the lower house of Parliament), Akhilesh Yadav’s SP and Rahul Gandhi’s Congress together won more seats than the BJP, who have been in power there for a long time. Congress was encouraged by this success, but these current problems might make it harder to agree on which seats each party will try to win and to work together effectively at the local level.
Things are also complicated by what’s happening in different regions. Congress did very poorly in Assam and didn’t make any impact on the BJP-led alliance in Puducherry. Their success was in Kerala, where they won by defeating the Left (who are part of the INDIA alliance nationally). Allies have noticed this.
Why Rahul’s bet matters
Rahul Gandhi is insisting that the national opposition needs to be focused on a single direction, and that regional parties can’t remove the BJP on their own. With the DMK (an important supporter) now in a weaker position in Chennai and the TMC (another important supporter) having lost power in Kolkata, he wants to channel all opposition to the BJP through the Congress party.
However, the opposition parties still have the same number of Lok Sabha seats for now, and negotiations about governing are continuing in Tamil Nadu. Whether this split is permanent or just a temporary adjustment will affect not only how things work in Parliament, but also how they negotiate about seats and support in the next round of state elections.
Here is what to watch next across the opposition landscape:
– Whether Congress-DMK ties find a working truce.
– TVK’s coalition arithmetic and stability.
– SP-Congress seat talks for UP.
– TMC’s coordination with Congress in Parliament.
– Opposition narrative on alleged mandate theft.
The bottom line
Gandhi’s “write it down” comment isn’t a catchy phrase for a campaign, but a clear line in the sand. It says Congress is the most important party, challenges its partners, and directly opposes the BJP all at once. If Congress can be the leader while still keeping its partners with them, the INDIA alliance can continue. If not, the BJP will benefit from every disagreement.
