New Delhi: More than two years ago, when several political parties opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — rather against Prime Minister Narendra Modi — joined hands, there was great expectations in the Opposition camp.
That expectation has now turned into concerns on future political relevance with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah saying the bloc to be currently “on life support”, perhaps ending up in the “ICU”.
His concern was fuelled by the infighting and inability of its leadership to match the BJP being constantly in an election mode, planning and developing newer political strategy.
Omar Abdullah considered the only hope for the Opposition bloc to challenge the PM Narendra Modi-led juggernaut was to “rally around the Congress”.
He may have overlooked the fact that several constituents of this Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, expanded from the acronym “INDIA”, are regional satraps that either were formed after breaking out of the Congress, questioning its leadership, or sustained themselves on opposing the grand old party.
The Janata Party’s experiment of the 1970s too had brought the socialists, Communists, and rightists together to oust the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
So, why not the experiment again, the leaders may have assumed.
But, when Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar hosted the first meeting of the INDIA bloc in Patna, he did not foresee a future where he would be swearing in as the Chief Minister of Bihar, leading a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government he chose to challenge that day.
His grandiose plans started crumbling through subsequent meetings following the one in Patna.
Said to have been nurturing an ambition to lead the pack in challenging Prime Minister Modi, he watched himself being marginalised.
Next to experience a similar feeling was reportedly the Maratha strongman and today leader of one faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Sharad Pawar.
Then, in the run-up to 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was designated as the Chairperson of the INDIA bloc.
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee is credited with coining the acronym INDIA and also said to have earlier proposed Kharge’s name as leading the INDIA bloc.
According to insiders, Mamata Banerjee had the support of Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav.
Some used to refer the troika as the “pressure group” or “sub-alliance” within the Opposition alliance.
The three leaders assumed that it would be difficult for the BJP to virulently attack a member of the Dalit community.
But Punjab and West Bengal proved tough.
Mamata Banerjee initially agreed to part with two seats in Bengal, but sought seats in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura in return.
Kejriwal, soon after contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha election in alliance, and losing all seven seats in Delhi, announced that he has no tie-up with the Congress, claiming that the INDIA bloc was formed solely for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The saga continued to unfold.
The vicissitudes of politics and polls, together with regional interests of satraps, have taken its toll on the INDIA bloc, which — taking beyond Omar Abdullah’s observation — fell sick in the lack of “life support”, and may now end up beyond the “ICU”.
However, in Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav may still want to hold Congress’ hand when the state goes for Assembly election in 2027 in a desperate bid for political relevance.
But that may not be enough to breathe life into the ailing INDIA bloc.
(IANS)
