It was confirm that the efforts for opposition unity against the BJP would intensify ahead of the general elections next year.
But there was little hope that the exercise of unity would begin even before the Karnataka elections.
Perhaps, the developments of Rahul Gandhi being disqualified as a Member of Parliament in a defamation case and then being forced to vacate his official residence inspired the opposition parties to unite.
On Wednesday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, RJD leader and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav’s meeting with Rahul Gandhi at the Congress national president’s house is being called a big initiative towards opposition unity.
Although, There is nothing new in these unity efforts as the Bihar government already consists of all the three parties.
Earlier in February also, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had asked the Congress to unite against the Modi government immediately at the Purnia rally.
But the Rahul episode filled the opposition parties with insecurity and the conclusion began to be understood that ‘if we do not unite, we may have to fall prey to the autocratic behavior of the system’.
Due to which many political parties, who used to hesitate towards the role of Congress in opposition unity, are also now looking at the efforts of unity with new hope.
Even former National President of Congress Sonia Gandhi has started talking about coordination with like-minded parties.
Some people believe that the opposition is in a mood to do a mock drill of Mahasamar through unity before the Karnataka elections.
Well after that till the end of the year important states Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh elections are also to be held.
The challenge for better performance for Congress will also be there as it has its own governments in all these three states.
In such a situation, the question will arise whether the Congress will start using the formula of opposition unity from these three states?
In fact, the exercise of opposition unity has been happening from time to time, but the pace in these comes only before the big elections.
Then the satraps of the opposition parties, who are in power in many states, have been avoiding the Congress. These include those parties which have been born out of opposition to the Congress and breaking away from this party.
For example, in Uttar Pradesh, SP supremo Akhilesh, BRS supremo Chandrasekhar Rao and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee avoid a bigger role for the Congress in unity efforts.
Still the important question is that who will become the face of the Prime Minister?
But Nitish Kumar is now campaigning for a bigger role for the Congress in opposition unity. However, until now NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who had a different opinion on the issue of JPC probe in the Adani case, was being called an obstacle in the efforts of opposition unity.
But now Pawar has also said that despite having different views on the JPC issue, he is in favor of opposition unity.
Anyway, Pawar’s party had run the government in Maharashtra along with the Congress.
Somewhere, the end of recognition of NCP, Trinamool Congress and Communist Party as a national party has also strengthened the exercise of opposition unity.
Due to which the exercise of bringing unity to the front and behind the screen has intensified. Nitish has been active in the political corridors of Delhi after leaving Bihar and has met Lalu Yadav, Mallikarjun Kharge etc.
The conclusion of which can be read that the plan of opposition unity seems to be on the upswing. After the unity of Congress, JDU and RJD, efforts to bring other satraps together can see a boom in the coming days.
Anyway DMK in Tamil Nadu, 9 Congress is an ally in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha government in Jharkhand. National Conference, PDP and MNM have shown solidarity on the occasion of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. Hope is being pinned on AAP too.
