Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 19 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, claiming that the Congress MP is losing support within the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) parties.
As political parties prepare for high-stakes assembly elections in states like West Bengal and Tamil Nadu later this year, the debate surrounding the leadership within the INDIA bloc takes centre stage.
Citing the recent editorial in Saamana, the mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Poonawala called it "another blow, another wound" as he said the piece named West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin for the leadership position.
Speaking to ANI, he said, "Another blow, another wound for Rahul Gandhi's team. Just yesterday, Saamana's editorial was published, saying to remove Rahul Gandhi, bring in Mamata Banerjee, or Stalin."
The BJP spokesperson highlighted recent internal friction within the opposition coalition, claiming that Trinamool Congress and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, key INDIA bloc partners, have issued statements suggesting a leadership change.
"TMC also issued a statement saying remove Rahul Gandhi. Now another party in the INDIA alliance, VCK, has said that Rahul Gandhi won't do, Stalin will have to be made the leader of the INDIA alliance," he said.
This comes after Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol Thirumavalavan on Wednesday endorsed the statement made by senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin should lead the INDIA alliance.
Thirumavalavan told ANI that Stalin's leadership would be appropriate for heading the opposition bloc."I endorse the statement made by senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar that Chief Minister MK Stalin should be the leader of the INDIA alliance. MK Stalin's leadership would be appropriate for heading the INDIA alliance", the VCK chief said.
Poonawalla further argued that Gandhi's challenges are not limited to alliance partners but extend to his own party and the electorate. "Neither is the public ready to accept Rahul Gandhi nor are his colleagues ready to accept him," he said.