Prof Ujjwal K Chowdhury
Dear Rahulji, Mamatadidi, Mayawatibehen, Lalooji,& Pawar Sahab,on your shoulders remains the task of coming out with aviable and much needed opposition force today in Indian polity. And on you remains the onus of failing in it looking at the way you are moving now, six to eight months ahead of the next general elections in India.
You are right to raise questions on demonetization, fall of the exchange rate of rupee, rise of fuel prices, jobless growth, fuzzing of GDP and employment figures, Rafale crony capitalism, NPAs on rise, et al. But you neither have the will power nor the strategy to take on Modi-Shah election war-machine in any which way. And this is why I say so.
First, where was your much touted Opposition unity during No-Confidence Motion in Lok Sabha and Deputy Chairman election in Rajya Sabha? Several opposition parties abstained and some even voted in favour of the government. A better floor management could have been done which due to bad strategy and bloated egos was not done. Are you out of these by now having been beaten twice?
Second, you know if you win in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and MP, as predicted in various proportions by a few opinion surveys till date, you will be at the driver’s seat for 2019 LS polls. But where is your all out opposition mahagathbandhan in these three states? Congress must give way to BSP and BSP must climb down from its high. I would even suggest to make good with Ajit Jogi. Why wait for another kick on the back for five years?
Third, where is your state level ‘strategic alliances’? UP SP-BSP-Cong-RLD alliance is much talked about, but not yet formally announced with 4 top leaders together addressing a press conference. Behenji is not even meeting Akhilesh. Does the CBI case against your family has to do anything with this, Behenji? If so, learn from Didi how to take such challenges in your stride.
If BJP wins, you will not politically exist, whatever is left of you. And the CBI case will still be there. Beyond UP, such alliance needs to be formalized in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Bengal at the earliest, the larger states that determine LS direction. Your alliance even in Karnataka is ridden with challenges to the glee of BJP.
Fourth, where are your well researched counters to the failures you raise so assiduously of the Modi-Shah government? BJP failed in Doklam, so what would Rahul do in such a situation again if in power? He did not have the answer in Singapore.
Fuel price-rise and subsequent commodity price-rise are real. What would be the counter measures to tackle the same, as some of it is a global impact? And how would you have tackled devaluation of rupee and turned into an advantage? What are your measures (short and middle term) for creating jobs? No answers, only questions being raised.
Fifth, if some 12 or 14 of your parties are coming together, where is your Common Minimum Program? With answers to the questions raised above, and measures to bring amity amid broken social ties in times of lynching and tension, or measures to tackle terrorism of all types without belittling the value of dissent in democracy. A clear CMP or alternative governance manifesto is of urgent need to create talking points.
Sixth, even if for hype, PM Modi with his acronymic hyperbole of 5Cs and Digital/Startup India et al, is creating talking points and a semblance of active governance and a promise of innovation (though it is the fifth year of his rule). But where are your innovations?
For example, against health insured Ayushman, can you not come out with a plan of Mohalla/Gaon Clinics? Against national Hindu-Muslim/Urban Naxal narratives, can you not come out with LS Constituency specific 5 development projects? And some common ones for the nation and states?
Seventh, while Modi-Shah rule plays down several fundamental premises of the Constitution (socialist, secular, democratic republic with independence of judiciary and separation of powers between Centre and States and among organs of the government), you, as Opposition, has not been able to come out with your clear points how Constitution is being violated and what you would do to uphold the Indian Constitution. Even your own foot soldiers are ignorant about much of these nuanced issues and you only have yourself to blame.
Eighth, you accuse Modi government to be blatantly communal. And rightly so. But are you not repeatedly resorting to blatant casteism and regionalism to ‘protect’ your turf and vote-banks? If you give a well devised development plan, old strategy of castes and regions will not be needed. You need to learn from the success of Modi in 2014: not hardcore Hindutva, but development promise (which has not been kept though).
Ninth, all know that while arithmetic (60%+ votes last time were against NDA partners) is in your favour, chemistry is with Modi. And elections are not about arithmetic. They look big on paper, but in the last 50 days, chemistry triumphs. Where is the chemistry amongst yourselves post Kumaraswamy oath-taking in Bengaluru some 100 days ago?
Have top leaders of all anti-BJP forces in each state have press conferences to announce their partnership, seat-sharing, CMP and agenda. You are avoiding even a dinner between yourselves, the top guys.
Tenth, while it is important for Congress to announce CM faces in each of the states going to polls now to give a counter to easily combatable CMs of BJP therein, it is better avoided at the Centre. Any face, from amongst you, if is put up before elections against Modi, the whole narrative will go towards comparing Modi and that person, and not on economic failures of Modi government and your counters and alternative CMP.
The focus needs to be on agenda and Modi-failures and not on how a certain leader of the opposition looks dwarf in front of 56 inches superman. A collective yet coherent leadership, a clearly communicated common agenda, one-to-one contest with NDA, a combined crack team of the opposition in each booth, a Mohalla Aman Committee to avoid any communal/casteist riot-like situation, and a dogged attitude are needed for you to make the Opposition count today. None of it is really visible.
The nation needs a strong opposition whoever rules. On your shoulders lies this historic role now. If you fail, India fails as the largest democracy.
(The views and opinions expressed in this article are of the author and thus do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy or position of OdishaLIVE.)
