Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shahnawaz Hussain lashed out at the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), claiming that the post of Prime Minister serves as a mere glue to keep the ‘ghamandia’ (arrogant) alliance intact. The comments were made in an interview on Tuesday.
“The post of Prime Minister is not going to be vacant in 2024. Narendra Modi will once again become the Prime Minister, but the Ghamandia alliance has many claimants for the post,” Hussain said.
This sharp critique comes in response to comments made by JDU leader KC Tyagi, who suggested that the INDIA alliance has various capable candidates for the Prime Minister’s position. Hussain dismissed Tyagi’s remarks by saying, “Those leaders who are not known outside their state are talking about becoming the leaders of the country.”
He continued, “People don’t consider Mamta Banerjee as a leader outside West Bengal, and Sharad Pawar has not had any big success outside Maharashtra. KC Tyagi is spoiling the hopes of Congress by saying that there are 5-6 captains of the same team.”
Hussain further championed Narendra Modi, stating that India has found a global leader in him, set to be re-elected in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. “This dream [of other leaders becoming PM] will remain unfulfilled. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will again take the reins because the people of the country are with him,” he emphasised.
The JDU leader, on the other hand, had previously stated that the opposition values unity more than the Prime Ministerial post. “Nitish Kumar, Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, and Sharad Pawar all have the capabilities to become PM. For us, opposition unity and the 2024 elections are important. We are neither a contender for the post of PM nor for the post of convenor,” said Tyagi.
It should be noted that the term ‘ghamandia’ had also been previously used by Prime Minister Modi himself, at a BJP parliamentary meeting on 8 August, to describe the INDIA alliance.
As the 2024 elections approach, the narrative is intensifying, with both the BJP and the INDIA alliance seeking to set the terms of the debate. Hussain’s comments underscore the BJP’s confidence in Modi’s leadership while attempting to expose the alleged lack of cohesion among the opposition parties.
