Mahagatbandhan ‘incoherent’ alliance of rich dynasties: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a scathing attacked on the Opposition parties and termed their proposed anti-BJP ‘Mahagatbandhan’ (Grand Alliance) an “incoherent alliance of rich dynasties”. Interacting with the booth workers from Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and Tiruvallur constituencies in Tamil Nadu through video conference, Modi said that various political parties were trying to form an “unholy alliance” for their “personal survival”. He said that people will see through it. The prime minister said that one of the key constituents of the mega-alliance - the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) – which had recently snapped its ties with the BJP, was formed against the “high-handedness” of the Congress by N T Rama Rao. But, Modi said, the TDP under the leadership of Chandrababu Naidu is now keen to join hands with the same Congress.

“Today several leaders are talking about a grand alliance or Mahagathbandhan. This alliance is for personal survival and is not ideology-based support. This alliance is for power, not for the people. This alliance for personal ambitions, not people’s aspirations,” Modi said.

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Modi said that some of the coalition partners claimed to be inspired by the socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia, but the veteran leader himself, he claimed, opposed the Congress and its ideologies.

Without referring to anyone, Modi said that many leaders part of the Congress-led Grand Alliance were arrested and tortured by during the Emergency imposed by former prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1975.

The “ecosystem” of the Congress party spared no one, Modi said pointing out at the dismissal of the MG Ramachandran-led AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu in 1980.

Opposition parties led by the Congress have proposed to form a Grand Alliance to defeat the “fascist” Narendra Modi-led BJP for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, RJD leader Tajashwi and other regional parties have proposed an anti-BJP federal front.

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Although the alliance is facing initial hurdles over the prime ministerial face, the Opposition parties are firmed to put up a coordinated, joint fight against the BJP in 2019. The Opposition’s alliance which also has few NDA rebel constituents has faced severe criticism from the BJP. Recently, BJP chief Amit Shah had termed the Grand Alliance a “myth”.