"Being bigger party in alliance, Congress's responsibility to keep us together": Sanjay Raut on INDIA Bloc

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 14 (ANI): Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday expressed confidence in the survival of the INDIA Bloc and called on Congress, as the "larger partner" in the alliance, to take responsibility for maintaining unity among the opposition parties.
Speaking to the media, Raut emphasized the INDIA Bloc's crucial role in preserving democracy and opposition unity in the face of the BJP's dominance.
"The INDIA alliance will survive. If we do not keep the INDIA alliance alive, the opposition will die. They (BJP) will eliminate the opposition. INDIA alliance was formed for the Lok Sabha elections but today it is a need of the nation and democracy to keep it intact," he said.
"In Delhi, the Congress and AAP think that they are big powers...In Maharashtra also we have said that the local body elections are of the workers. It is difficult to form an alliance there, but our alliance will be intact in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha (Maharashtra). Being the bigger party in the alliance, it is the responsibility of Congress to keep us together," Sanjay Raut added.
Earlier on Monday, Raut said that in the coming days, if the INDIA alliance has to be saved and strengthened, dialogue between alliance partners is necessary.
Raut's remarks came after Communist Party of India General Secretary D Raja admitted that the INDIA bloc "stands divided" post-Lok Sabha election 2024.
Speaking to ANI, Raja said, "It is a fact that Opposition is divided. It is known to people that in Delhi. Assembly election AAP is contesting on its own, Congress is contesting on its own, Left parties are contesting wherever they are capable of putting up a fight and among other parties, certain parties have declared support to AAP. So, it is a fact that INDIA bloc stands divided."
Several BJP leaders have also claimed that the INDIA bloc has 'no mission' and is 'scattered.'
On Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised the INDIA bloc, claiming that the alliance has 'completely disintegrated,' citing examples of the alliance not fighting the Delhi assembly polls and Mumbai municipal corporation polls together. (ANI)