‘Mamata, Stalin or Who?’: Shiv Sena (UBT) on INDIA bloc’s leadership vacuum

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Wednesday claimed that the INDIA bloc now stands at a crossroads, needing to move beyond internal debate to decide whether Mamata Banerjee, M.K. Stalin, or another figure will lead them through the national crisis. The internal friction and leadership debates within the bloc and the Congress party ahead of significant regional elections threaten to undermine unity.

The Thackeray camp in the party’s mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, claimed that the opposition alliance faces significant “friendly fire” in the upcoming elections.

“In West Bengal, the Trinamool will compete against Congress; in Kerala, the Left remains a rival; and in Maharashtra, local-level splits have historically benefited the BJP. “While Rahul Gandhi has maintained a ‘fighting spirit’ against what the opposition terms ‘dictatorship’, years of being out of power have reportedly led to a lack of urgency among grassroots workers. Though the current Modi-led government operates without a full majority and relies on alliance ‘crutches’, its perceived dominance remains a hurdle for the opposition. Ultimately, the ‘INDIA bloc’ must decide on a unified path and a leader — be it Mamata, Stalin, or another — to address the national crisis,” it said.

The Saamana editorial said that the issue of a leadership change in the ‘INDIA bloc’ has surfaced. While many wonder what happened to the alliance after the Lok Sabha elections, it is a sensitive question for Congress. “While Mahatma Gandhi once used his ‘inner voice’ as a tool for spiritual and patriotic guidance, today’s Congress party is seeing a different kind of internal noise. Senior leaders and advisors have begun expressing conflicting views at a time when the party needs cohesion for upcoming polls in Kerala, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry,” it remarked.

According to the editorial, different factions within the alliance are pushing for diverse leaders to take the helm of the INDIA bloc. Former Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar has advocated for the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, arguing that MK Stalin is the most effective voice for regional rights and the only leader capable of consolidating the alliance. Former media advisor to PM Manmohan Singh, Sanjaya Baru, has suggested the West Bengal Chief Minister is best suited for national leadership, citing her strength as a regional and female leader.

The editorial said that while it is common for the INDIA bloc to convene once elections are officially announced, true strategic wisdom lies in making decisive leadership choices well in advance. “The government has effectively utilised religious sentiment to influence the public, to the extent that some segments of the population might even view international subservience — such as to US President Trump –as a ‘divine blessing’. In this climate, the opposition faces a critical question: Who will lead the charge to counter this narrative?” it asked.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena argued that the chaos in Parliament is distinct from the chaos in the country. “The people’s inner consciences are awakening, and this cannot be ignored. A decision must be made: Mamata, Stalin, or someone else,” the editorial said.