Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh on Thursday accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of attempting to engineer defections to secure a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha, calling the ruling NDA the “National Defectors Alliance”, while asserting Opposition unity against what he termed a political strategy to destabilise rival parties.
Ramesh said the Opposition leadership, including Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, was in constant touch with allies to counter what he described as attempts to weaken non-BJP formations.
He alleged that such efforts intensified after April 17, 2026, when a Constitution amendment Bill related to delimitation failed to pass in the Lok Sabha, with the ruling alliance securing 298 votes against a required two-thirds majority of 362.
“That was a setback. They did not expect Opposition unity,” Ramesh said.
He further alleged that inducements were being offered to Opposition MPs to defect, likening the strategy to targeted financial products. “You know, in the mutual fund industry, you offer different products and different schemes catering to the needs of individual investors. So, he's obviously offering a lot of incentives to individual MPs based on their needs and assessments. But, you know, this is an assault on the Constitution. It's an assault on democracy,” Ramesh said.
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Ramesh also alleged that the approach was being carried out with the approval of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“It is an absolute disgrace that the man who occupies the place that was once occupied by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is indulging in all these dirtiest of tricks in order to avenge the humiliation that he underwent,” he said.
He added: “He is the master of sowing confusion. He is a weapon of mass distortion and disinformation --WMD, in the real sense of the term. So he is trying to create a lot of uncertainty and sow the seeds of dissensions but he is not going to succeed.”
Ramesh said reports of internal fissures in regional parties, including speculation around Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs skipping a parliamentary party meeting, were part of psychological pressure tactics.
He said the Opposition remained united despite such developments and continued coordination across parties.
“Our top leadership, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi or the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, people like me, are in touch with all the colleagues in the opposition parties,” Ramesh said.
He added that the Opposition was determined to resist what he described as attempts to secure a two-thirds majority “by hook or by crook”.
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