Congress stalwart Udit Raj dropped a political bombshell, taunting the government over America’s conditional nod to Russian oil shipments to India. ‘It’s clear now – Donald Trump is our real ruler,’ Raj declared, framing the waiver as proof of India’s diminished decision-making autonomy.
With Russia under heavy sanctions post-Ukraine invasion, the US carve-out allows limited Indian purchases but on strict terms. Raj decried this as external meddling in vital economic matters, urging a firm stand to protect national interests.
His ire extended to recent upheavals: the abrupt West Bengal governor exit and Nitish Kumar’s Rajya Sabha elevation. Raj portrayed these as symptoms of a democracy in decay, where BJP strong-arms allies and appointees alike.
Alleging direct arm-twisting from New Delhi, Raj cited queries on exit dates as evidence of high-handedness. He rejected election-time negotiation stories, viewing the episode as a blatant subversion of democratic norms driven by power consolidation.
On JD(U)’s decline, Raj pinpointed Chirag Paswan’s role, enabled by BJP. In 2020, LJP contested JD(U) bastions with implicit BJP support, fracturing the alliance’s vote bank and paving Nitish’s marginalization.
As Bihar braces for future showdowns, Raj’s narrative spotlights fragile coalitions, strategic betrayals, and the tug-of-war between sovereignty abroad and control at home. The oil waiver saga amplifies calls for assertive Indian diplomacy.