Congress Eyes Coalition After Lok Sabha Polls Signal Modi's Moral Defeat

The Congress party has claimed that the recent Lok Sabha elections were a mandate against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite failing to secure a majority on their own, the Congress has expressed readiness to explore opportunities for government formation. The party will decide on its future course of action after meeting with other INDIA bloc partners. In an effort to strengthen their position, the Congress and other opposition parties are reaching out to former partners JDU and TDP, who are now part of the NDA alliance. Rahul Gandhi, addressing a joint press conference with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Parliamentary Party leader Sonia Gandhi, stated that decisions regarding potential alliances will be made collectively. The Lok Sabha election results indicate that the BJP will become the single-largest party but fall short of the required majority. However, the BJP-led NDA alliance has secured a majority. The Congress, on the other hand, has made significant gains, winning close to double the number of seats compared to the previous election. Kharge emphasized that it is premature to discuss government formation without consulting alliance partners and potential new allies. He also stated that the election results reflect a victory for democracy and a clear message against PM Modi. Kharge further claimed that the Congress and its allies faced numerous obstacles during the election campaign, including interference from government authorities. Rahul Gandhi echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that this election was a battle to protect the Constitution. He expressed satisfaction that the people of India rejected Modi's leadership and alleged attacks on democratic principles. Gandhi highlighted the pro-poor vision of the Congress and the INDIA bloc, promising to fulfill their commitments to conduct a caste census and provide financial support to women through the Mahalakshmi scheme. He also drew attention to the correlation between the decline in BJP seats and Adani stocks, suggesting a connection between corruption and Modi's leadership. Gandhi expressed gratitude to the electorate of Uttar Pradesh for their support and protection of the Constitution. When asked about his parliamentary seat, he stated that he had not yet made a decision. Meanwhile, Congress leader P Chidambaram asserted that Modi has forfeited his right to form a government and called on all political parties to respect the wishes of the people and facilitate the formation of a new government.