Opposition alliance will stay to confront Modi in 2024

The emergence of a new opposition alliance is a welcome change in Indian democracy. The mainstream tried hard to undermine the event and highlight fissures. Many of them are imaginary. Then the very name and its abbreviation, I.N.D.I.A, were put into controversy. It was just playing the BJP’s tune. On the other side, people who are opposed to the present regime were thrilled over the selection of the name and abbreviation. Both reactions are unnecessary. The name of the party or alliance does not matter much. It is true that the abbreviation INDIA is catchy and will run well on social media platforms, but it alone cannot ensure an electoral victory. Overemphasizing this aspect of the Bengaluru meeting is mostly an attempt to divert attention from the real political outcome of the meeting.

The unnecessary interest in the abbreviation may have its roots in Prime Minister Modi’s style of communication. He has a huge interest in abbreviating names or events or decoding them, and he uses it to show his opponents in a poor light. Recently, he decoded Sharad Pawar's NCP as the "Naturally Corrupt Party."

The question we should ask is: Does the coming together of different political parties make any difference to the democracy in the country?

The answer to this question is yes; it certainly makes a difference. Most people might have overlooked the immediate impact of the meeting on the political discourse in the country. Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah hurriedly convened a meeting of the long-forgotten National Democratic Alliance (NDA). This is an acceptance of political plurality on their part. The BJP has been loath to do it. Since most of the major constituents, including Nitish Kumar's JDU, Uddhav Thackrey's Shiv Sena, and Badal's Shiromani Akali Dal, have left the alliance, the BJP was forced to cobble together parties that had no consequence. Many of them have no members in Parliament or the state assembly. The recognition of political plurality is not a minor change in the BJP’s case. The electoral victories have inspired the BJP and the RSS to reject different political ideologies outright. In its hurry to establish the supremacy of the RSS’ version of Hindutva, the BJP even discarded its closest right-wing ally, the Shiv Sena. However, the credit goes to Rahul Gandhi and the Congress. They inspired disintegrated opposition parties to form an alliance, and this has forced the BJP to revive the NDA.

It must be underlined that the endeavor has not been easy for the Congress. The Congress forgot all the humiliations it had undergone at the hands of opposition parties, including the Aam Adami Party and Trinamool Congress. After the 2019 debacle of the Congress, most of the opposition leaders declared Rahul Gandhi a leader without any political future. Again, the Aam Aadmi Party and Trinamool Congress contributed to the defeat of Congress in Goa. The Aam Aadmi Party ensured the defeat of the Congress in Uttarakhand and Gujarat. The latter is also keen on contesting the coming assembly elections in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The party has not only been soft on Hindutva but also chooses to appear anti-minorities. Despite its leanings, Congress not only persuaded it to become a member of the I.N.D.I.A. but also treated it as an equal. The Congress leadership just overruled its Delhi unit and decided to side with the Aam Aadmi Party in opposing the Delhi ordinance.

The structural difference between the two alliances—INDIA and the NDA need not be missed. Most of the NDA's allies are caste-based parties that are limited to a few districts. They lack any national perspective and are ideologically impoverished. They have all the capabilities to further divide an already divided society. They have no regard for political morality. On the other hand, INDIA has diverse forces that have distinct ideological orientations. It is true that parties like the RJD and the Samajwadi Party have strong caste bases, but they cannot be termed caste-based parties. They represent forces of social justice and have come out of an ideological struggle in a given historical context.

Many people doubt the stability of the opposition alliance. They are not at fault. If the past is any guide, it is difficult to imagine a long-lasting alliance. The alliance has to fight off several centrifugal tendencies. Some of these tendencies stem from ideological contradictions, while others are the result of personal ambitions and opportunism. Mamata Banerjee is the best example. She is opposed to the Left parties on ideological grounds and, at the same time, is not ready to accept the Congress because of her own ambitions. Is there any ideological difference between Congress and the Trinamool Congress?

However, skeptics must take into account the challenges that have been thrown at the political parties in India. The cry 'Save democracy’ has not come out of nowhere. Political leaders are not the kind of people to miss the call. They cannot helplessly bear the onslaught of the BJP. The belligerent BJP engineered a split of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP in Maharashtra just days after the Patna meeting of opposition parties had concluded. The assault came only two days after Prime Minister Modi's assertion that the NCP is the most corrupt party. Those who have switched sides have been the main targets of the BJP in the scandals the prime minister was referring to. The enthusiasm of the ED and other agencies for acting against opposition leaders has crossed all limits, and it is threatening the very basis of democracy. How can a democracy function in these circumstances? Has the opposition any other option than to confront. The resolve could be seen in how Sharad Pawar resisted all attempts to stop him from joining the Bengaluru meeting.

These developments show that the opposition alliance will stay to confront Prime Minister Modi in 2024.

(The author is a senior journalist. He has experience of working with leading newspapers and electronic media including Deccan Herald, Sunday Guardian, Navbharat Times and Dainik Bhaskar. He writes on politics, society, environment and economy)