Indian opposition not to attend TV debates

By Shuriah Niazi

NEW DELHI (AA) - India’s main opposition, the Congress Party, has decided not to send any of its representatives to participate in TV debates for a month.

The decision was taken amid internal crisis following the poll debacle.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted, "Congress has decided to not send spokespersons on television debates for a month.”

While the party has often accused the Indian media of being "biased" and tilted towards the ruling dispensation, Congress leaders say, the latest gag is meant to give the party time to sort out its mess, away from media speculation.

The party suffered a massive defeat in the just concluded Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) polls. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 303 seats, while the Congress managed to win just 52 seats in the 543-member house.

The numbers does not even qualify it to claim position of leader of opposition.

On Saturday, at a post-mortem meeting, party president Rahul Gandhi announced his decision to quit, taking responsibility of party’s defeat. But the party’s highest decision-making body - the Congress Working Committee rejected it.

The 48-year-old leader has asked the party to look for a new chief, someone not from Gandhi family. Senior Congress leaders have been pressing Gandhi to take back his decision to resign and revamp the party.

Author and senior journalist has termed the Congress party’s decision to stay away from TV debates as unfortunate. Kidwani, who has written several books on the history of Congress party and also biography of its former president Sonia Gandhi said the party should face challenge, instead sulking.

“It is an undemocratic move. They have ruled the country for decades and should face the challenge. It is necessary for the main opposition to air its views through TV debates.”

A senior journalist associated with one of largest TV network, News 18 conceded that at times, media has targeted the opposition party unfairly.

“It depends on them to participate or not to participate. It is their decision. But media should not be biased towards any particular party. It is quiet common now a days for channels to take sides,” he said, while requesting anonymity.