Consolidating a united front

In a recent interview, Rahul Gandhi made a statement that the current regime can be defeated by the opposition parties only by working effectively and collectively through a new narrative. This has been the demand of public intellectuals — to have an effective and organised opposition. He further reiterated that it should be done through a vision and a programme. Many criticised the Indian National Congress for not taking up this role. A 135-year-old party needs not search for vision and programme. It needs only contextualisation. It has a vision and programme but is not explicitly adumbrated by its leaders to draw the imagination of the people. The UPA-I and UPA-II regimes demonstrated to the world how to make globalisation work for the poor, through its rights-based, pro-poor schemes and programmes. It has to be communicated in a way it draws the attention of the poor and the parties.

In my opinion, Rahul Gandhi’s statement is a call to the opposition parties. However, it is not enough. He has to go further as Sonia Gandhi did in 2004. She went to the doors of Paswan and Mayawati to forge unity among the political parties to take on the BJP. Time is crucial and critical as BJP is not the old party under Vajpayee. Hence, Rahul Gandhi has to work in two directions. First, to strengthen his party and, second, to bring unity among the opposition parties. It requires new leadership.

One thing Rahul Gandhi has demonstrated is that he is fearless and ready to fight for a cause. Yet another character has demonstrated that he is not after the chair but active in politics and in his party. Whether he is in position or not, he is in action and giving a programme for the party. When many of the opposition parties — mostly the regional parties — could not take initiative to launch a political struggle against the centralisation of powers, he took the mantle to fight for states’ rights.

Many intellectuals were appreciative of the statements made by Rahul Gandhi. Now it is time for the opposition parties to act and respond meaningfully. Not just the opposition parties, but all the public intellectuals in India should respond to the call by giving their input in reframing the development agenda of the opposition contextually. The Indian National Congress is chalking out a series of activities for the party as was done in the earlier years to engage the cadres and masses.

In India, changing the mood of the people is not very difficult, which PM Modi himself demonstrated in 2013 when he came to centre-stage in national politics. Mood-shift can happen within a short span of time. It requires only appropriate narratives and strategies. Social media is increasingly becoming the mainstream media. Thus, the media is in everyone’s hands. Smartphones have redefined the very idea of ‘news media’ and have tilted the power of media in favour of consumers. It’s no more a small segment of powerful media houses delivering to a mass of news consumers. In the altered reality, consumers themselves are producers of news. If the opposition gives an image that it is united, strong, vibrant and operable, the mood of the people could be changed in a short while. It is time to think and act by giving the nation and the people more importance than their parties. In such a way, the whole unification exercise has to be carried out among the opposition parties. It must be schematic and wired to drive home penetrative messages strong and deep.

In this exercise, the political parties have to show their sagacity in bringing unity among themselves. They must consider the post of Prime Minister or the seats for parties to contest in the election insignificant. The public intellectuals still have hope that the INC has got the ideological environment suited to this country. It can keep India together. To chalk out an appropriate narrative through a contextual strategy of wanting to keep India together is not very difficult. All needed ingredients are in the manifesto of the Indian National Congress, prepared in 2019.

For the formation of a coalition and running the coalition government, a framework can be evolved based on the experience of the Left. A vibrant central government is one which takes the state governments and the local governments along with it to meet the needs of the people.

Appropriately, Rahul Gandhi has given a call and it is now on the table of the opposition parties, both national and regional. Apparently, the Indian National Congress is weak because of the exodus of the dissident leaders, but its mass base is intact. Still, it has got nearly one-fifth of the vote share in the country, which is significant.

The nation and the people want not an alternative party but an alternative vision, programme, and framework from the opposition parties. Looking at past events and criticising each other at this juncture will not lead us anywhere. No party is without blemishes. All the errors and wrongdoings can be corrected only through a new framework which is alternative in nature and character. The regional political parties can negotiate very well with the Indian National Congress and evolve a new framework of Centre-state relations based on the experiences of the past.

Rahul Gandhi has made it amply clear that this discourse could be initiated with mutual respect. At this point in time, the DMK is the only party realising its role and responsibility which plays a part in moving with Indian National Congress as a responsible ally. The Indian National Congress, Rahul Gandhi and the opposition parties, more specifically the regional parties, instead of issuing statements criticising and opposing the BJP, have to prepare themselves for concrete action. The need of the hour is to come together and evolve a consensus to forge a forum through a political struggle. There is a perception prevailing in the country that most of the regional parties are distancing themselves away from the Indian National Congress, and from forging unity initiatives among the opposition parties due to the fear syndrome, as they will be disturbed by the 'central machineries'. This perception has to be changed by the regional parties through their unity and strength.

A lot has to be done by the opposition parties before facing the general elections in 2024. If it is not done at this point in time by the opposition parties, forging alliance during the election and sharing seats will not give an image that this front could become a credible alternative. The need of the hour is building confidence among the people that the opposition has the determination to fight with a sense of commitment on their part in protecting the nation and the people with a louder voice and sound framework of the programme and actionable points. A joint call has to come from the opposition parties. Otherwise, it will be a case of the opposition parties themselves keeping the opposition weak, and eventually leading to the absence of a prominent opposition in a democracy.

The writer is a former Professor and Rajiv Gandhi Chair for Panchayati Raj Studies, Gandhigram Rural Institute. Views expressed are personal