Upcoming assembly polls in five states a dress rehearsal for LS election, claims Saamana

In the midst of internal dissent within the opposition India alliance, the Shiv Sena (UBT) stated on Monday that the coalition has been established with the aim of removing the authoritarian government at the national level, highlighting that state-level politics is distinct and separate.

An editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana has stated that the upcoming assembly polls scheduled this month in five states serve as a dress rehearsal for the Lok Sabha polls scheduled for next year.

It said the Congress is a major party in all the five poll-bound states Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram. It is important for the Congress to win polls to stop the misuse of power and arrogance of money. This will be crucial for the I.N.D.I.A alliance, the editorial said. It expressed confidence that the I.N.D.I.A alliance will win the Lok Sabha polls in 2024.

Last week, Kumar blamed the Congress' preoccupation with assembly polls in five states for the I.N.D.I.A coalition's inability to build on the momentum it gained in recent months. However, the editorial in Saamana said Kumar, who played a crucial role in forming the I.N.D.I.A alliance of 28 opposition parties to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party, should not air his concern publicly as this makes the BJP happy.

The I.N.D.I.A alliance was formed to unseat the dictatorial regime at the Centre and everyone agrees to it. The politics in states is different and major political parties have to take decisions accordingly, the editorial said.