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Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), cautioning opposition parties against entering alliances with it, warning that such compromises may offer short-term power but lead to long-term political marginalisation.
Addressing reporters in the national capital, Sibal alleged that the BJP strategically allies with smaller regional parties in states where it anticipates electoral defeat, only to sideline them after securing power. "BJP allies with smaller parties in the states they know they will not win, and then marginalise the same parties after coming to power," Sibal said. Drawing a distinction between regions, Sibal noted that the BJP avoids compromise in states where it faces a direct contest with the Congress, such as Uttar Pradesh. "They never compromise with anyone where their direct tussle is with Congress," he remarked. Referring to politics in south India, Sibal accused the BJP of attempting to expand its footprint in Tamil Nadu through what he termed "temple politics," after repeated electoral setbacks. "They are now trying this in Tamil Nadu, but they failed many times and have therefore started temple politics," he said, adding that the party continues to face resistance in Kerala and West Bengal as well. Sibal's comments come ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections scheduled for the first half of the year. The AIADMK-led NDA, which includes the BJP, is aiming to reclaim power after losing the 2021 Assembly elections. Despite a poor showing in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, AIADMK has renewed its alliance with the BJP after ending ties in 2023. Meanwhile, the ruling DMK is seeking a second term, buoyed by its strong parliamentary performance last year. Citing the split within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Sibal warned of the consequences of "opportunistic politics." "This should be a message to the opposition that compromising with them might make you the Deputy CM, but your future will be over," he said, pointing to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. "The same happened with Ajit Pawar, who did not stay on one side and was limited to only three seats. People know when opportunistic politics is done." Sibal's remarks follow the recent sweep by the BJP-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) alliance in Maharashtra civic polls, including a strong showing in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, further consolidating the BJP-led Mahayuti's dominance in local governance. (ANI)
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