Assam To Kerala, A Home Divided: Decoding Congress’s Turmoil Throughout 4 Ballot Battlegrounds | Explainers Information

Final Up to date:February 16, 2026, 18:46 IST

Infighting, pressure with allies to senior leaders’ feedback: A take a look at the Congress’s ballot place, alliances in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Bengal

Be it the pressure with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) over power-sharing or Assam senior chief Bhupen Kumar Borah’s resignation which the occasion mentioned he later withdrew and even the confrontation involving Mani Shankar Aiyar in Kerala, the Congress appears to be a divided home in 4 poll-bound states.

Pradip Bhandari, Bharatiya Janata Occasion’s nationwide spokesperson, wrote on X: “Loyalists who spent complete life time in Congress; now brazenly talking in opposition to Rahul Gandhi! When your personal leaders don’t imagine in your management; think about the state of your occasion. Mani Shankar Iyer-“I’m a Rajivian not a Rahulian” Congress vs Rahul Gandhi! Congress rejects Rahul Gandhi!”

A take a look at the occasion’s ballot place, alliances in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Bengal.

KERALA: THE MS AIYAR ROW

In a transfer that has left the occasion red-faced, senior Congress chief Mani Shankar Aiyar on Sunday predicted that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will retain energy for a 3rd consecutive time within the upcoming Meeting polls. He additionally praised the ruling LDF authorities’s panchayati raj mannequin. The Congress was fast to distance itself from Aiyar’s remarks, saying they have been made in a private capability. The Congress-led UDF, the principal opposition, is preventing in opposition to Pinarayi Vijayan and his occasion to return again to energy.

“So within the presence of the Chief Minister, who I’m certain would be the subsequent Chief Minister, I renew my plea to strengthen Kerala as the very best Panchayati Raj state within the nation,” Aiyar mentioned, talking on the worldwide seminar titled Imaginative and prescient 2031 Worldwide Convention on Democracy and Growth.

On X, Vijayan wrote, “The charismatic phrases of Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar in the course of the #Vision2031 Worldwide Convention resonate effectively with the modern situation. We stand united within the perception that democracy solely thrives when energy resides with the folks. We are going to proceed to strengthen our native our bodies because the heartbeat of progress.”

Congress leaders, together with Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh, reacted to his remarks. Khera mentioned, “Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar has had no connection by any means with the Congress for the previous few years. He speaks and writes purely in his private capability.” Ramesh asserted that Kerala would deliver the Congress-led UDF again to energy by eradicating the Left Entrance.

“I need the Congress to win, however I don’t imagine it’s going to. Congress leaders hate one another greater than they hate the Communists,” Aiyar mentioned in reply. Aiyar additionally took purpose at four-time Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, alleging that the senior chief harbours ambitions of turning into the following international minister.

ASSAM: BHUPEN KUMAR BORAH RESIGNS

In a serious setback to the Congress forward of the Meeting polls in Assam, former state unit chief Bhupen Kumar Borah resigned on Monday morning. Borah is learnt to have blamed Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s “highhandedness” for his resolution. The event comes simply days earlier than Priyanka Gandhi’s scheduled go to to Assam.

Sources mentioned Borah despatched his resignation letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. He additionally wrote to Rahul Gandhi. In his letter, Borah mentioned he was being ignored by the occasion management and was not given his due within the state unit. He mentioned he had knowledgeable the excessive command about how the occasion was functioning within the state and that the state of affairs had affected his shallowness and dignity.

Borah mentioned, “I despatched my resignation to the Congress Excessive Command at 8 am this morning and defined intimately why I used to be compelled to take this stand. This isn’t a private resolution. I’ve given 32 years to the occasion and joined it in 1994. This precept will not be merely private; it’s pushed by concern for the occasion’s future. That’s the reason I conveyed all the things intimately to the Congress Excessive Command.”

By afternoon, the Assam Congress claimed that Borah had withdrawn his resignation.

TAMIL NADU: POWER TUSSLE WITH DMK

The rift inside the Congress-DMK alliance in Tamil Nadu is out within the open, with power-sharing a serious bone of competition.

Congress leaders are seen clashing with the ruling DMK, and even backing a tie-up with actor-turned-politician Vijay and his occasion TVK. Congress MP Manickam Tagore has warned of retaliation if Congress is sidelined, whereas DMK leaders have hit again sharply.

Chief Minister MK Stalin has categorically dominated out power-sharing, signalling rigidity within the alliance.

Amid this backdrop, Vijay and TVK have been hinted they’re open to cooperation in opposition to widespread opponents. Experiences declare even the Congress is in search of extra “choices”.

BENGAL: WILL THEY ALLY WITH TMC?

TMC chief Mamata Banerjee has dominated out any formal pre-poll tie-up with Congress within the 2026 Bengal polls, saying her occasion will battle alone. This view has been reaffirmed by key TMC leaders, reflecting TMC’s lengthy custom of contesting state elections independently.

Individually, the Congress excessive command not too long ago determined that the occasion will contest all 294 meeting seats in West Bengal by itself, breaking from previous coalition patterns.

On the nationwide degree, each Congress and TMC are a part of the broader INDIA alliance (a coalition of opposition events). However that nationwide grouping has not translated into a proper electoral alliance in Bengal for the state meeting polls.

With Company Inputs

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