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Editorial

Congress in leadership role

The Gorakhpur and Phulpur by-election results that went in favour of Samajwadi Party (SP) have galvanised the Opposition camp and political parties are now eyeing to forge a grand alliance of opposition parties to put up a united fight against BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. SP and BSP had to face a humiliating defeat at the hands of BJP in the UP Assembly elections last year. The victory in these two Lok Sabha seats, which were earlier represented by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, came as a big morale boost for SP leader Akhilesh Yadav and BSP leader Mayawati. The Gorakhpur and Phulpur by-elections, where BSP offered its support to the SP candidates, offer a template that can be replicated across the country in the next general elections. The fact that caste alliances such as the one forged by SP and BSP in the by-elections can lead to the defeat of BJP is becoming clear. Now, every opposition party is in favour of such alliances. But Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who floated the idea of People's Third Front and offered himself to lead the initiative wants his front to fight against both Congress and BJP while the rest of the opposition parties do not have such reservations against Congress. BJP has lost by-elections in West Bengal, Bihar, UP, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh in recent months and this gives the opposition the hope that together they can put up a credible fight against BJP. But the million dollar question is who will lead the grand alliance of the opposition parties or who will be the Prime Ministerial face of the united opposition? Last week, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi had invited opposition leaders to a dinner and on Sunday while speaking at the Congress plenary she outlined her parties' strategies. She termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrogant and 'dramebaaz'. She also sought the return of ballot papers for the elections and did not approve the idea of simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Citing the example of PNB scam, she said that people with connections had been allowed to flee the country after defrauding the banks. The Congress blames the Modi government for messing up the economy and escalating violence and alienation of the locals in Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress seems to have enough ammunition in its arsenal to take on the extraordinary oratory of BJP stalwarts. Sonia Gandhi also said that BJP had tried everything to finish Congress but Congress, being the voice of the nation, has somehow survived the BJP onslaught. Taking inspiration from the defeat of BJP candidates in recent Lok Sabha elections and victory of its own candidates, Congress is trying to take the leadership of the opposition bloc. It is trying to provide space and leadership to regional parties and their aspirations in the national politics.
K Chandrasekhar Rao is likely to meet Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. The two leaders are supposed to discuss the current political situation in the country as well as their individual efforts to unite the opposition parties. While Rao is against the inclusion of Congress in the grand alliance of opposition, Banerjee is not. While she has continued with high decibel opposition to the Modi government, she appears comfortable in the company of Congress leaders. SP has already allied with Congress in the UP Assembly elections last year. Even BSP may not have much against the Congress taking the lead in unifying the opposition and providing leadership to a new government that may come to power if the opposition succeeds in defeating the BJP-led NDA in the elections next year.
While individual parties in the opposition camp are eager to forge alliances, the Congress is trying to position itself in the leadership role and thereby, providing its own candidate as the Prime Ministerial face. After a humiliating defeat in Lok Sabha elections in 2014, Congress would not have expected a comeback so soon. But the chemistry that brings together SP and BSP and the fact that such alliances pose a credible threat to the BJP-led alliance has made the comeback easier for the Congress. The party may see some more confidence-boosting results coming from the Assembly elections this year. In Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, it has won some by-elections and it is expected to do better in Assembly elections later this year. But before that, it has to do well in Karnataka which is going to polls in April-May this year.
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