Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Saturday, 9 May called the INDIA bloc a "gang of opportunists" and charged that its constituent leaders lack any "ideological faith or background". Joshi made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Hubballi, Karnataka, reacting sharply to the latest realignment within the Opposition alliance.

The Congress-DMK Split That Triggered the Remarks

Joshi's comments came after the Indian National Congress broke its alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and extended support to the Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for government formation in Tamil Nadu. The Union Minister framed the move as naked power-seeking rather than principled politics.

"We severely differ with DMK's ideology but Congress being a national party, went with such a regional party who never believed in the unity of India. Now, because they did not get power in alliance with the DMK, they have gone there," Joshi said.

Contradictions Within the INDIA Bloc

Joshi cited multiple internal contradictions to bolster his argument. He pointed out that the Congress and the Communist parties fight each other in Kerala yet remain partners in the INDIA bloc. He also noted that the Congress was "defeated by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi" but the two parties continue to coexist within the same alliance.

Referring to the West Bengal election campaign, Joshi said that Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi had recently made "severe criticism" against Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, yet the two parties remain together in the INDIA bloc. "It is proved that the INDIA bloc is a gang of opportunists. They do not have any ideological faith or background," he added.

Joshi on Suvendu Adhikari's Swearing-In in West Bengal

The Union Minister also commented on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari taking oath as the party's first Chief Minister of West Bengal. Joshi alleged that the Communist Party had "ruled for more than 25 years and ruined West Bengal," and that the subsequent Trinamool Congress government perpetuated what he described as "goondaism" and "rowdism".

He further alleged that the Trinamool Congress "never believed in electoral politics" and that workers and voters who had voted against Banerjee's party were "brutally killed" after elections — a characterisation attributed entirely to Joshi. "After such long violence and an 'anti-people' government, people have elected the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP in West Bengal," he said.

Congratulating Adhikari on his swearing-in, Joshi expressed confidence that the new Chief Minister would fulfil the promises the BJP had made to the people of the state. He noted that Adhikari had "fought against this dictatorial attitude for 10 years".

Broader Context

This comes amid growing public scrutiny of the INDIA bloc's cohesion ahead of upcoming state elections. The Congress-TVK pivot in Tamil Nadu and the Rahul Gandhi-Mamata friction have provided the BJP with fresh ammunition to question whether the alliance is held together by shared governance vision or by short-term electoral arithmetic. How the Opposition responds to these charges — and whether it can project unity — will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.