Congress attacks Amit Shah, alleges bid to engineer defections in Opposition ranks

The Congress on Wednesday (June 17) accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of intensifying his attack on opposition parties and undermining democratic institutions after what it described as a setback in the Lok Sabha earlier this year, when the Delimitation Bills could not be passed.

The party alleged that Shah was attempting to draw Opposition leaders into the BJP and claimed that several politicians elected on an anti-BJP platform just two years ago were now being persuaded to switch sides.

Congress targets Shah

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said the Home Minister was continuing "his onslaught on the Opposition and wrecking Indian democracy to compensate for his humiliation" in the Lok Sabha, where he failed to have the Delimitation Bills passed.

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"His allurements are enticing a number of those who were elected just two years ago on a strong anti-BJP agenda to now join the BJP. The incentives reportedly being extended to them are mind-boggling," Ramesh charged on X.

Ramesh further alleged that Shah was running a politically motivated campaign aimed at weakening opposition parties and attracting individual leaders through a range of inducements tailored to different circumstances.

'No limits to depravity'

The Congress leader claimed that the effort was being carried out in a calculated manner and compared it to schemes designed to appeal to different categories of people.

Also Read: TMC collapse: Has BJP solved one problem and created two new ones?

"There are absolutely no limits to his depravity. But he will not succeed in his ultimate objective," Ramesh asserted.

His remarks come after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on late Tuesday night claimed that an "advance of Rs 15 crore" is being given to "buy MPs from Maharashtra", adding fuel to the intense buzz that a section of party's Lok Sabha members could switch sides.

Raut alleges poaching bid

The speculation about an imminent rebellion by MPs of Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), tentatively on a Trinamool Congress (TMC) template, strengthened with ruling Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik hinting at welcoming dissidents and giving them priority should they jump ship.

Also Read: TMC split, DMK-Congress divorce: New Delimitation path opens up for BJP

Eyebrows were raised when Raut, Sena (UBT) MP and Uddhav's confidant, travelled to Delhi, sparking a buzz that he might meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to preempt any bid by nine MPs of the party to form a separate group.

In a late night post on X, Raut said, "Apna sapna money...money! There is information that an advance of Rs 15 crore will be given tonight to buy MPs from Maharashtra. This is shocking and disgusting!" Also, on Sunday, 20 rebel TMC MPs met Birla and announced their merger with the NCPI, a Tripura-based registered unrecognised political party.

(With agency inputs)