‘INDIAN has always been part of INC but…’: Tejasvi Surya's dig at Congress-led coalition

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Tejasvi Surya on Tuesday mocked the Congress party over the acronym of the opposition's coalition of 26 parties, saying people of India have repeatedly realised that there isn't anything Indian about them. More than two dozen opposition parties said on Tuesday that they had joined hands to form an alliance called "INDIA" to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in parliamentary elections next year.

“It’s funny to see so many Congressis going all ecstatic over the new acronym they have coined for their gang of losers, like it’s some new invention,” Surya said in a tweet.

“INDIAN has always been part of INC and people of India have repeatedly realised that there isn’t anything Indian about them,” he added.

Earlier today, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, in an obvious jibe at I.N.D.I.A, tweeted, “Our civilisational conflict is pivoted around India and Bharat. The British named our country as India. We must strive to free ourselves from this colonial legacy.”

Sarmed added that the BJP will “continue to work for BHARAT.”

The BJP leader's tweet comes after leaders of the opposition parties unitedly coined a new name for their alliance- Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). Announcing the name of the alliance, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, "We have come together and discussed various points. With one voice, people supported the resolution adopted today… Our alliance will be called Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).”

Congress leader Pawan Khera also took a jibe at the BJP and said, “But we will not say that those who do not like I.N.D.I.A should go to Pakistan.”

The name was reportedly suggested by West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee. There was a lot of discussion on the full form of the name following its suggestion.