AA Edit | Experiments with unity as Opposition gets ready for 2024

For an idea first conceived in 2017, after the Narendra Modi-led BJP followed up its extraordinary feat of winning the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 with an absolute majority by winning a whopping majority in the Uttar Pradesh state Assembly elections, it is surprising that it has reached an embryonic state now, in 2023, with less than a year left for the next parliamentary polls.

The BJP, though somewhat tempered by defeats in a few states, among them, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, and earlier, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, is still ahead. After two terms with an absolutely majority, its government at the Centre and the Prime Minister himself are still the leader in public perception and popular narrative to emerge as the likely winner. Mr Modi is more or less the chosen one to lead India as Prime Minister for a third term.

The two Lok Sabha wins with clear majority, two consecutive wins in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls and the record-shattering win in Gujarat are all indicators of this; besides, the BJP has too formidable an election-winning machinery. As to the central issue to the next general elections, even while the BJP mockingly asks the question, who is your challenger to face Modi, again and again, the Opposition still really does not have an answer.

But now, after several aborted attempts and trials, finally, there is a semblance of a united Opposition — even if the reasons for its coming together are essentially negative — to oppose the Modi-led BJP and try to stop it from coming to power for a third term, citing rhetoric about Indian democracy. Pluralism and secularism are supposedly in danger, and the allegedly harassing raids by Central agencies like the CBI, ED and the income tax department against Opposition leaders are being highlighted as the biggest issue.

Nevertheless, as a hot summer draws to an end, and common folk look up towards the skies hopefully, the Opposition too seems to draw faith from Patna, from whence its members will all next go to Shimla, to huddle together and scratch their heads for answers. But for those who oppose the BJP and Mr Modi, it is an early, evolving picture of hope while for the saffron supporters it is a clumsy and ugly portrait of family rule, and corruption.

The coming together of the Congress, represented as per rule by key leaders, Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, and chief ministers Nitish Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal, Hemant Soren and Mamata Banerjee, besides Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sitaram Yechury, Supriya Sule and Aditya Thackeray, among others, on a single platform is a big step up for the efforts to unify the Opposition.

The only announcement was that there would be another meeting in Shimla, but in the prompt gathering of most likely allies, the battlelines have been drawn. The BJP, too, is shoring up the NDA, with a reach-out to former partners like the Akali Dal, besides reported talks with some more leaders down south. It is also clear that some players will remain neutral, including in the elections, like the YSRC and Biju Janata Dal, but some others, like the BRS or MIM might make a late entry into one of the camps.

Meanwhile, the picture of Lalu making everyone laugh with advice for Rahul Gandhi to get married is a good start for the project to unify the Opposition. Shimla ahoy!