New Delhi, June 10 (IANS) Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday acknowledged that cracks have appeared within the opposition INDIA bloc.

His reaction comes after Tamil Nadu found itself without representation at a meeting of the INDIA bloc on Monday. While the DMK chose to stay away amid deteriorating relations with the Congress after the latter had broken up with the MK Stalin-led party to support Vijay’s TVK in the Tamil Nadu government formation, the TVK was not invited to the meeting because it currently has no representation in either house of Parliament.

Speaking to IANS, Chavan said: “The Congress is trying (to raise questions and sustain the campaign against the ruling alliance). However, unfortunately, cracks have appeared within the INDIA alliance.”

“There is anger among the people, and perhaps the opposition has failed to fulfil their expectations and aspirations,” he admitted.

Moreover, the former Maharashtra CM asserted that the BJP needs to be defeated since there is extreme anger among people.

Further, Chavan drew similarities with the splitting up of the NCP and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra to the current situation of the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.

“Around 20 (Trinamool) MPs have gone to the NDA’s side. I don’t know what is happening in Maharashtra as well. However, we will keep on trying our best and keep our opinions in the public,” he said.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai referred to the party as a “banyan tree”.

“Congress is a banyan tree. No one will be able to uproot it, nor will anyone be able to weaken it. I would only like to say that regional parties should work together with Congress, and it is that banyan tree which can provide shade to everyone.”

Though the CPI-M and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) were represented at Monday’s meeting, their rifts with the Congress were out in the open just before the INDIA bloc leaders met.

While the Left party had asked Congress to “clear the air” regarding its “deal with the BJP’ remarks during the Kerala poll campaign, differences within Jharkhand’s ruling alliance had come to the fore over the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, with the JMM and the Congress at odds over seat-sharing. However, the situation was subsequently resolved.

–IANS

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