Oppn seeks to explore new political narrative

KV Prasad

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 9

The next two days could well determine contours of the national politics. On Monday, leaders of parties in the Opposition assemble here exploring possibilities of a national arrangement and the next day, the country would know whether the prediction of winds of change blowing across the five states results in a change of guard in the Assemblies.

The line-up on the eve of the first-ever conclave of parties opposed to the BJP appears impressive while doubts remain over the participation of the two UP majors — Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party.

Monday’s meeting offers leaders an opportunity to  survey the political landscape, significantly day ahead of the results of the five state Assemblies, three of which — Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan — in Hindi heartland remain citadel of the BJP.

In the run-up to the General Election, outcome of these Assembly polls results will determine the course of the political narrative and those with stakes will begin readjusting to emerging realities. The results would also determine the functioning of the winter session of Parliament, the last major working session for the Modi government before its tenure comes to an end.

As leaders converge, there appears to be some understanding among parties across the Vindhya ranges, with the TDP, DMK and the Janata Dal (Secular) as none have competing interests barring Kerala, where the ruling Left Democratic Front has a direct confrontation with the Congress-led United Democratic Front. The TDP, for the present, has managed to sidestep how to deal with the Congress in Andhra Pradesh while teaming up with it in Telangana.

In other parts, in the past the Congress was in alliance with the NCP (in Maharashtra), the RJD (in Bihar), JD-S (in Karnataka), CPI (in Telangana) and NC  (in J&K). It is the approach of the CPM to remain away from the Congress that would be a hurdle just as TMC would loath to be seen sharing political space with the Left in Bengal.

Leaders would need to draw up a plan based on one of the two approaches — most agreeable or least disagreeable factors in the backdrop of the political imperative to prevent the BJP from returing to power in 2019. 

The TDP which played a pivotal role in 1988 by rallying Opposition parties is attempting a similar manoeuvre in 2018 to dethrone the dominant ruling party at the Centre. The then TDP chief and founder NT Rama Rao spearheaded it against Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress government while his son-in-law and current president N Chandrababu Naidu is up against the Narendra Modi-led NDA government.