"Rahul Gandhi Should Start 'INDI Jodo Yatra' Instead Of Bharat Nyay": BJP

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla on Friday described the INDIA bloc as an alliance without any "vision" or "mission" and said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should start an 'INDI Jodo Yatra' instead of a Bharat Nyay Yatra from January 14.

The BJP leader also criticised the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance for not coming up with a strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections despite holding four meetings.

Speaking with news agency ANI, Mr Poonawalla said, "Rahul Gandhi should start an 'INDI Jodo Yatra' instead of the Bharat Nyay Yatra. Because INDI is in conflict wherever it is possible... This kind of confusion and fight for ambition and position can be seen everywhere... This kind of situation has arisen because they have no vision or mission."

His response came after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut hinted at no compromise over seat-sharing talks within the INDIA bloc.

"This is Maharashtra, and Shiv Sena is the biggest party here. Congress is a national party. Uddhav Thackeray is having positive discussions with the decision-making leaders of Congress including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and KC Venugopal. We have always said that Shiv Sena has always been fighting on 23 seats in the Lok Sabha elections including Dadra and Nagar Haveli and that will be firm," Mr Raut had said in a video message.

Mr Poonawalla hit out at the opposition bloc allegedly over "fighting without agenda" and "personal ambitions."

"All they (INDIA bloc) have is commission, corruption, division, contradiction, and their personal ambitions. This is why, even after four meetings, they have not managed to come up with a logo, a strategy, a leader, or an intention...," he said.

"They (INDIA bloc) have been fighting without agenda," he added.

The Congress Party on Wednesday announced the Bharat Nyay Yatra that will commence on January 14 in Imphal Manipur is expected to conclude on March 20 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

While the INDIA partners came together for their fourth meeting in the national capital recently, the major points of friction are over seat sharing in Bihar, Punjab, UP, and Bengal, with regional parties driving a hard bargain with the Congress.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)