With the Delhi Assembly election slated for February 5, cracks within the INDIA opposition bloc have surfaced as the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) publicly supported the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), urging Congress to step aside in favor of regional strength. This comes amidst growing tensions within the bloc, which previously showed promise during last year’s Lok Sabha polls but has since faced electoral setbacks and internal discord.

The AAP and Congress are contesting Delhi’s 70 Assembly seats independently, raising questions about the bloc’s survival and effectiveness. The rivalry escalated after Delhi Congress leader Ajay Maken’s harsh criticism of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. In response, AAP demanded Congress’ removal as bloc leader, adding to the rift.

SP leader Akhilesh Yadav stressed the need for unity, pointing out that the INDIA bloc’s founding principle was to support regional parties best positioned to defeat the BJP. “When the alliance was formed, it was agreed that where regional parties are strong, the bloc would strengthen them. AAP is strong in Delhi, and our aim is to defeat the BJP,” Yadav said, offering SP’s support to AAP.

Echoing this sentiment, TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee referenced successful collaborations in Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand, where the Congress had taken a secondary role to regional parties like the DMK and JMM. “The INDIA bloc decided to let strong regional parties lead in their respective regions. In Delhi, AAP is the clear choice to take on the BJP,” Banerjee explained.

The INDIA bloc has faced similar challenges in other states. For instance, the Congress failed to strike a seat-sharing deal with AAP in Haryana, leading to a BJP victory. Allies like the SP and TMC have repeatedly highlighted these failures, urging Congress to prioritize unity over individual gains.

Despite the tensions, leaders like Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference have called for cohesion within the alliance. “The INDIA bloc is a permanent alliance, built for every day and every moment,” Abdullah said, emphasizing the need to overcome internal rivalries.

As the Delhi election approaches, the INDIA bloc’s ability to unite against the BJP remains in question. The Congress and AAP’s rivalry risks undermining the coalition’s collective strength, highlighting the ongoing struggle to balance local ambitions with the alliance’s broader goals.

The stage for Delhi’s February 5 Assembly elections is not just political but musical, as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) engage in a melodious exchange of barbs. Both parties launched campaign songs targeting each other, blending politics with entertainment in a high-stakes battle for the national capital.

The BJP struck first with a Hindi rap accusing AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal of failing to deliver on his promises. Titled with a caption translating to “Delhi is in bad shape because of a cheat,” the song lambasts the AAP government, questioning its claims of achievements in health and education. Lyrics from the song assert, “Kejriwal left Delhi in bad shape, he tricked people with promises, he falsified every dream.”

Responding swiftly, the AAP released a Bhojpuri campaign song inspired by BJP MP Manoj Tiwari’s hit number Hind ke Sitara from the popular Panchayat web series. The adapted version lauds AAP’s governance, emphasizing its work in education and healthcare over the past two terms. The choice of Bhojpuri resonates with Delhi’s significant Purvanchali voter base, comprising migrants from eastern Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar.

Manoj Tiwari, a prominent Bhojpuri actor-turned-politician, has been a key figure in BJP’s Delhi campaigns. His original Hind ke Sitara track gained massive popularity, making AAP’s reimagining of the song a pointed move in the musical tug-of-war.

The Delhi election is shaping up to be a three-way contest between the ruling AAP, BJP, and Congress. Amid an aggressive campaign, both AAP and BJP have accused each other of voter list tampering. While AAP seeks a third consecutive term after winning 62 out of 70 Assembly seats in 2020, the BJP is aiming to break the streak, having secured just eight seats last time.

This unique blend of music and politics underscores the high stakes and creativity in the battle for Delhi, as parties attempt to connect with voters on cultural and emotional levels.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday shared a video on social media platform X showcasing his visit to a Keventers outlet in Delhi and his interactions with the company’s founders.

In the video shared by Gandhi, an employee invited him to witness the process of making the company’s renowned milkshakes and cold coffee. Instead, Gandhi expressed his desire to create one himself. The footage captured the politician donning gloves and adding scoops of ice cream into a blender.

When asked where he would consider investing, Gandhi mentioned that he was interested in making an investment in Keventers.

Later, during a conversation with co-founders Aman Arora and Agastya Dalmia, Gandhi discussed the nature of Indian businesses, distinguishing between “monopoly, political businesses” and “genuine businesses” that operate in an “environment of red tape.” He expressed a keen interest in understanding the operational status of the latter.

Gandhi inquired about Keventers’ current scale, competition, and growth strategy. “Play-fair businesses like Keventers have fueled our economic growth for generations. We must do more to support them,” he wrote in a post accompanying the video on X.

Currently, Keventers operates 200 stores across 65 cities, with plans to expand to around 500 locations within the next four to five years.

During his visit, Gandhi also engaged with customers at the Patel Nagar store in New Delhi, happily taking selfies with them. When he asked the young founders about their competitors, they explained that they are striving to establish a market. They noted that the ideal price point in the Indian flavored milk market is around Rs 50-70, while Keventers products are priced around Rs 100.

Keventers, which began operations in the first half of the last century, ceased activities in the 1970s. The founders expressed their ambition not only to revive the brand but also to reinvent it, shifting to a more customer-focused approach and outsourcing product creation to a third-party vendor.