I-N-D-I-A bloc is a formidable player and cannot only challenge but defeat the NDA: Raghav Chadha

Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections the Indian political scenario seems to be changing with archrivals like the Aam Aadmi Party Congress and Shiv Sena UBT coming together The burgeoning INDIA Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance consortium is stepping up against the seasoned National Democratic Alliance promising an electoral showdownIn an exclusive conversation with MidDaycom Rajya Sabha MP and AAP leader Raghav Chadha sheds light on the alliances motivations and firmly states that neither AAP nor Delhi Chief Minister and party supremo Arvind Kejriwal are aspiring for the role of Prime MinisterldquoExcited spokespersons of our party may have made some comments here or there but let me categorically and officially state that our multiparty is not in the race Neither AAP nor Arvind Kejriwal is not in the race for Prime MinistershiprdquoldquoWe have joined the India alliance with only one motto and agenda better India to free the country from the shackles of unemployment price rise and agrarian crisis AAP has joined this alliance only as a loyal soldierrdquo Raghav Chadha sharedINDIA can defeat the BJPWhile talking about the INDIA alliance the AAP MP said the NDA has weakened and the Opposition alliance can easily defeat the NDA and BJPArithmetically purely based on numbers if you compare 2014 and 2019 numbers you will find that the INDIA bloc is a formidable player and cannot only challenge but defeat the NDA NDA which is the principal opponent of the INDIA bloc is a weakened outfit now It is not the old NDA of JDUs Nitish Kumar N Chandrababu Naidus TDP and Shiromani Akali Dals Parkash Singh Badal as members Today you have a weakened NDA an NDA which has 38 members of which only three have more than five MPs 26 have no representation in Parliament not even a single MP This is only theoretical NDArdquo he explainedldquoThe INDIA bloc is not a theoretical exercise but a formidable alliance that has chemistry not just in these meetings but also at the grassroots level It can not only challenge but actively defeat the BJP he addedState and civic electionsWhen asked if partnering with the INDIA alliance will help AAP in the state and civic elections Raghav Chadha said there is no such proposition on the tableldquoThe conversation is largely around the Lok Sabha 2024 election the agenda and communication Coming together in states is not even being discussed Its not on the agenda and theres no proposition at allrdquo he saidDouble betrayalSpeaking about AAPs prospects in Mumbai and Maharashtra Raghav Chadha said people in the state feel betrayed by Eknath Shinde and the Bharatiya Janata Party BJPled governmentHe further said that people in Mumbai and Maharashtra are waiting to show the Eknath Shinde and BJPled government the wrongs they have done with the people by stealing their mandateAAPs political journey in Maharashtra will be decided by the political affairs committee which is the highest decisionmaking body Currently the people of Maharashtra are feeling betrayed by the Eknath Shinde and BJPled government I had the opportunity of interacting with a lot of Maharashtrians and everyone echoed similar sentiments They are waiting for the elections and to demonstrate to the Eknath Shinde and BJPled government what wrong they have done with the people by stealing their mandate Raghav Chadha sharedHitting out at Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over BMC elections Raghav Chadha said I think this sense of betrayal is so palpable that the Eknath Shindeled government is not even letting the BMC elections happen It is primarily this fear of losing the election because they have betrayed the people which is troubling them I think people will respond democracy is the best equaliserED and CBI are used as toolsWhen asked about the Enforcement Directorate ED and Central Bureau of Investigation CBI actions against political leaders the Rajya Sabha MP slammed the BJP He said the ED and CBI have become frontal organisations of the saffron partyED and CBI have become frontal organisations of the BJP They are working as per the whims and fancies of the BJP in furthering the political agenda of the BJP For those accused of corruption and scams the moment they join the BJP cases against them are gone and proceedings quashed The investigation is put in cold storage Why is this happening It is happening because ED and CBI are used as tools to suppress the Opposition and prominent leaders of the Opposition are being made to crossover to the BJP he addedDelhi Services Bill an illegal unconstitutional legislative exerciseThe Rajya Sabha MP slammed the BJP over the Delhi Services Bill He said that the Delhi Services Bill which has now become a law is perhaps the most illegal and unconstitutional legislative exerciseThis undermines the elected government This appoints the Lieutenant Governor as the supreme authority over the elected representatives This converts officers into judicial authorities It is violative of Indias federalism of article 123 which is the ordinancemaking powers given to the central government It violates every article of the Indian constitution about the powers and functions of a state And this is being done only because for the last 25 years repeatedly in Delhi elections BJP has lost every single one of them They failed to form a government and will likely fail in the next 25 years as well This is why the BJP has introduced the law to control Delhi Raghav Chadha saidRuling out chances of losing the next assembly elections in Delhi Raghav Chadha said that people love Arvind Kejriwal I always call him the eldest son of the Delhi family People love him support him no matter what and regardless of how many assaults are levied against the elected government of Delhi by the BJPled government Arvind Kejriwal is consistently constantly and tirelessly working for the benefit of Delhi he signed off