The latest political buzz is that the SamajwadiParty is likely to lead the Mahagathbandhan in Uttar Pradesh. While talk of an alliance has been recurrent, the major difference this time is the interaction between the opposition parties in Bengaluru,which gave clear indications of Samajwadi Party (SP) and its allies – the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and the Apna Dal (K) – joining hands with the Congress. SP President Akhilesh Yadav, who will be the lead player in INDIA vs. NDA contest in the Uttar Pradesh battleground, signed off the 26 parties’ meeting, calling it the Bengaluru Revolution. JayantChaudhary wrote: “Bharat will emerge stronger when the Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance wins!.”. “Hamara INDIA jeetega (Our INDIA will win),” tweeted the RLD. It’s the first time the SP, under the leadership of Akhilesh, has entered a national alliance. With subsequent meetings of the alliance partners, more contours of INDIA in UP, and also nationally – like a common minimum programme (CMP) and seat sharing formula –will come into sharp relief.
KCR PITCHES ‘TELANGANA MODEL’ WITH AN EYE ON BIGGER NATIONAL ROLE
The BRS is preparating well for the crucial assembly elections in Telangana. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Raostrongly believes that his party would attain success in winning the support and favour of women, farmers, and marginalised groups with various welfare schemes, that can be replicated at the national level. KCR has projected himself as a pro-farmer leader, pitching the “Telangana good governance model” to for his expected foray into national politics to take on the BJP and Congress.Telangana goes to the polls in November-December this year. If the Bharat Rashtra Samithi defeats the Congress and BJP in the assembly polls, then KCR is likely to use the victory as an endorsement of his brand of politics to highlight himself as a strong leader at the national level and also at the same time as a contender for the PM job.
BSP TO FOCUS ON DALIT-MUSLIM VOTERS, STAYS AWAY FROM COALITIONS
The BSP is strategically following a Dalit-Muslim formula and BSP Supremo Mayawati declared that her party will go it alone in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as in Assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. BSP was open to tie-ups with regional parties in Punjab and Haryana, conditionally if they have no truck with the ruling NDA alliance or the newly formed opposition coalition ‘INDIA’. Mayawatiexplained her stance: “These parties don’t work for the welfare of the people. They have not done anything for Dalits, Muslims, and minorities. All are the same. When they come to power, they forget their promises. They have not fulfilled a single promise made to be the people. Be it Congress or be it BJP. This is the biggest reason why BSP has not joined hands with the opposition”. BSP was carrying out closed-door meetings of party workers across the country, in order to regain base among the Dalits and the Muslims. In 2022 assembly elections, BSP registered its worst UP assembly elections defeat in terms of seats, winning only one seat in the 403-member House and garnering just 12.8 % votes.
LEFT WON’T ALLY WITH TMC IN BENGAL, BUT CONGRESS WANTS MAMATA IN ‘INDIA’
Cracks have already begun to show in the much-applauded INDIA alliance of the opposition parties. The CPI and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) have ruled out any alliance with the TMC in West Bengal. CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechuryhas said that “secular parties”, along with the Left and the Congress, will take on the BJP as well as the TMC in the state. Both CPI-M and Trinamool Congress have been the part of 26-party Opposition alliance, which announced its name as the ‘Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance’ (INDIA) on 18 July. The bone of contention between the Congress and the TMC would be the five Lok Sabha seats in Murshidabad and Malda districts of central Bengal, which once was known to be a Congress bastion, but the TMC swept in the 2021 assembly election.Even in the recent panchayat elections, the TMC has maintained its power and superiority over the Congress. The Congress, on the other hand, stated that the TMC’s panchayat election results have been inflated by electoral malpractices and that the Congress’ actual position is much better than what the rural poll results indicate. They hope to retain both seats they won in 2019 in a triangular contest. The Congress top leadership, nevertheless, showed no lack of intent in getting TMC on board, as Sonia Gandhi herself dialedMamata Banerjee to ensure her presence in the meeting. The Congress high command is interested in having alliance with TMC in Bengal
OPPOSITION DECIDED ON ‘INDIA’ AFTER RAHUL, MAMATA SUGGESTED ACRONYM
Setting the ground for their 2024 Lok Sabha campaign, 26 opposition parties formed a coalition – the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) – to jointly take on the ruling NDA. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated that the fight will be between INDIA and Prime Minister NarendraModi. Behind the namewas a politically significant coordinated jugalbandi between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress. In another important move, it was announced that the next Opposition conclave will be conducted in Mumbai, likely in the second half of August, and will be hosted by the Shiv Sena (UBT). Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said:“We are defending the Constitution, the voice of Indians and the idea of India. You know what happens to anyone who wants to fight the idea of India… This is a fight between INDIA and the BJP, it is a fight between INDIA and NarendraModi,” While Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said,”We’ll fight the 2024 Lok Sabha elections unitedly and we will come out with great success.” He said a committee of 11 members will be set up for coordination, and a convener will be selected at the next meeting in Mumbai. (IPA Service)
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