The Opposition Unity is an exercise in romanticism or a reality, in Bangalore. Firstly, according to a Congress statement, it favors seat sharing decisions based on party strength. This clearly shows the reservations and powerplay in seat sharing which will be news in the coming days. Secondly, Sharad Pawar the initiator in bringing the opposition on the same platform skipped the meeting, though he attended on the second day.
The latest update from Bangalore is, 26 political party have formed their own set of alliance and named it the Indian Nationalist Developmental Inclusive Alliance. The mission is to fight together as a united front against the BJP party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. the alliance seeks to counter the BJP’s narrative of nationalism and development, and highlights the issues of democracy, inclusiveness, social justice, and federalism. The Congress President declared the formation of an 11-member coordination committee and emphasized the need to establish a common minimum program. This will happen before the forthcoming Mumbai meeting for which the dates are to be announced soon.
Mallikarjun Kharge says, there are some differences amongst us, what are the differences?
“There are some differences between us but we have put that behind…We are together in the interest of the country.” Kharge said. The statement in itself conveys the various differences between the parties who are part of the alliance. Recently during the Patna meet, Arvind Kejriwal angrily complaint of Congress not supporting the Delhi Ordinance. Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav have been on the opposite sides in Bihar, same with TMC and CPM in West Bengal. The grand old man of Maharashtra politics Sharad Pawar, is a crafty politician, very unpredictable in his next political move. Though right now he is facing rebelion within his own family. Further, it remains to be seen how these parties will behave in the assembly elections. Will their acrimony be confined to the states and they will rise above differences. The leaders also need to rise above their personal egos. Post-meeting, rumors circulated of Nitish’s discontent with the alliance’s name and his exclusion as the convener.
PM Modi attacks Oppn at 39-party meet, says country trusts NDA
In a speech during the NDA meet the Prime Minister called the opposition unity as a conclave of corruption. He said, “The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is a rainbow of regional aspirations that puts the nation first and is trusted by India because it is a formation with a positive agenda and wasn’t conceived to grab power. Further his emphasis is to make India the 3rd largest economy in the world.
In conclusion, the question of opposition unity being a romantic notion or a reality remains unanswered. While there are indications of reservations, power plays, and differences within the alliance. The formation of an 11-member coordination committee and the emphasis on a common minimum program signify efforts towards unity. The forthcoming Mumbai meeting and the behavior of the parties in the upcoming assembly elections will provide insights into the alliance’s dynamics. The leaders must strive to rise above personal egos and work towards a united front against the BJP.