Amid rumblings in the opposition INDIA alliance, the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday said the coalition has been formed to unseat the "dictatorial regime" at the Centre while politics in states is different.
An editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana' also said the assembly polls scheduled this month in five states is a "dress rehearsal" for the Lok Sabha polls next year.
It said the Congress is a major party in all the five poll-bound states - Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram.
"It is important for the Congress to win polls to stop the misuse of power and arrogance of money. This will be crucial for the INDIA alliance," the editorial said.
It expressed confidence that the INDIA alliance will win the Lok Sabha polls in 2024.
The Marathi daily said the concerns of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are valid.
Last week, Mr Kumar blamed the Congress' preoccupation with assembly polls in five states for the INDIA coalition's inability to build on the momentum it gained in recent months.
However, the editorial in 'Saamana' said Mr Kumar, who played a crucial role in forming the INDIA alliance of 28 opposition parties to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party, should not air his concern publicly as this makes the BJP happy.
The Congress has not allied with the Samajwadi Party in Madhya Pradesh and the Aam Aadmi Party is contesting separately. All three are constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc.
"The INDIA alliance was formed to unseat the dictatorial regime at the Centre and everyone agrees to it. The politics in states is different and major political parties have to take decisions accordingly," the editorial said.
Recently, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the Congress should not "betray" his party and make it clear if the grand old party wants an alliance or not.
The spat between the two INDIA bloc allies started after their failure to arrive at a seat-sharing arrangement for the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls scheduled for November 17.
Last month, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar acknowledged there are differences of opinion among opposition parties over putting up a united front in some state polls, but there is also a feeling that all must fight the Lok Sabha polls together.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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