Oppn star on ascent but long way to go

Never before in the last nine years has the political scenario looked as bright for Opposition parties in the country as it is now with the BJP-led NDA still grappling with the Manipur imbroglio and unable to come up with a solution acceptable to all.

There have also been two significant defeats for the BJP in the recent past – one in its southern citadel of Karnataka where it saw its fortunes demolished by a resurgent Congress, and the other in Himachal Pradesh, again at the hands of the Congress.

In a few months from now, states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Chhattisgarh will go to polls just months before the all-important parliament polls of 2024.

The results in these states will be a clear indicator of which way the wind is blowing and whether the Modi-Shah magic is really as effective as it was five years ago.

The charisma of the BJP’s top leader is waning no doubt and if it was not the case, how could the BJP lose so miserably in Karnataka where its tally fell to almost half of the seats it had?

This reveals a radical difference from the scenario in 2018 and 2019 when a pro-BJP wave was very much evident after Modi’s visits to the state.

The bunglings of the ruling front at the Centre, rising prices, the exit of many of its partners and the rising trend of hate speeches and crimes have taken the sheen off the BJP, which had won more than 300 seats in 2019.

There are states like Karnataka, Bihar and Maharashtra where the NDA can longer hope to win as many seats as it did in 2019.

But that also brings up a nagging question: Is the national opposition, now known as INDIA, really geared up to exploit the failings of the BJP and make a determined push for toppling the nine-year-old regime?

The rumblings in the opposition front are growing louder as INDIA prepares for an important summit in Mumbai on August 31 and September 1. The meeting will no doubt see an energetic Congress lineup for it is the first after the reinstatement of Rahul Gandhi as MP after his conviction in the Modi surname case.

But there are too many loose ends to be tied up before the opposition can even imagine taking on the Modi-led BJP front in the eight months left for the polls.

For one, the constant friction between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Arvind Kejriwal and the Congress will have to end. A few days ago, a Congress leader had announced that the party will contest all seven seats in the national capital, much to the consternation of AAP.

Thorny issues like seat sharing will have to be resolved in an amicable manner and cannot be the subject of public discussion. This is all the more important in Delhi where an AAP-Congress pact could end the BJP’s hegemony over all seven seats and ensure a fair share for INDIA.

So is the situation in Punjab where AAP and Congress will have to come to an understanding on the 13 Lok Sabha seats. There is not much to look forward to in Kerala where the Congress and CPI(M) have been at loggerheads for decades.

Leaders of both parties could maybe consider friendly contests so that the BJP would not be able to benefit from their battle. INDIA will also have to resolve the ‘NCP puzzle’ with it supremo, Sharad Pawar, sending out confusing signals on his political future while his ambitious nephew, Ajit Pawar, has already landed in the BJP’s lap.

A state-by-state approach to resolve the seat sharing tussle with a spirit of accommodation and sacrifice seems to be the only way forward if INDIA in the months ahead, would like to see itself in the seat of power in Delhi.