INDIA Bloc united, I can vouch 100 pc for DMK: Rahul Gandhi

Describing the struggle against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a spiritual rather than a political duty, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has called on members of the INDIA alliance to transition into a "resistance movement".

Addressing Opposition partners, Rahul strongly dismissed narratives of internal division, asserting that the coalition stands firm despite attempts to project weakness.

‘We are together’

"Get rid of the notion that we are not coordinated and do not act together," Rahul told the gathering, pointing to the alliance's core commitment to protecting democratic values. Reaffirming the solidarity of key regional partners, he stated, "This is not true – I am 100 per cent sure, and I can vouch right now for the DMK."

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He added that whilst internal disagreements exist, noting he would not compromise on his ongoing local political fight with the ex-Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan, every single leader would stand together when it comes to "defending the idea of INDIA."

Message to allies

The Congress leader sought to ease underlying tensions within the alliance by positioning his own party as a unifying force. Adopting a philosophical tone, he noted that it was his role to "swallow everything", drawing a parallel to the Shaiva tradition of consuming poison.

He assured regional allies that the Congress Party would happily accept any criticism with a smile, emphasising that its fundamental objective is "to unite all of you together with love and affection."

'Fair-playing field does not exist'

Turning his focus to the shifting political landscape, Rahul argued that conventional electoral strategies are failing because a fair playing field no longer exists. "The BJP controls the institutions of the state. The BJP controls the legal system. The BJP controls the bureaucracy," he said, adding that this control extends to intelligence agencies and the Election Commission.

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He challenged the optimism of allies like the Trinamool Congress (TMC), asserting that the opposition is living in "dreamland" if they believe upcoming political battles will be fair.

Manipulation allegations

Rahul also put forward the serious allegation that recent elections are actively being manipulated. He claimed that regional leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Uddhav Thackeray, and Tejashwi Yadav all harbour varying degrees of suspicion regarding compromised mandates, declaring to the room, "100% the elections are being stolen. Please remove doubt from your minds." He further alleged that digital spaces are heavily manipulated, stating that despite having 10 million YouTube followers, his own account is "fully suppressed".

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Despite this bleak assessment of the state machinery, the opposition leader remained defiant, insisting that the government would not survive its own destruction of democracy. He urged the alliance to move past internal friction and a sense of "depression" about the BJP's dominance.

Emphasising that victory lies in a unified mindset, he concluded with a guarantee to his partners, "You start with that belief, and I guarantee you – state after state, election after election, whether they cheat or don’t cheat, they will fall."