Sharad Yadav’s meeting to protect India’s composite culture becomes another show of Opposition unity

A meeting called by rebel Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav on Thursday was essentially meant to focus on protecting India’s composite culture. But it became an occasion for Yadav and the Opposition parties to showcase their unity in the wake of the departure last month of Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar.

At the end of July, Kumar dumped the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress, his partners in the coalition government in Bihar, to stitch up a new alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

As if to signal to Kumar that his depature had not hurt them, enthusiastic Opposition party workers from various states gathered at the Capital’s Mavalankar Hall to listen to an impressive line-up of speakers. The Congress was well represented with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi leading the charge against the Narendra Modi government and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also present as was senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and party president Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel. The speakers included former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, Communist Party of India leader D Raja and the Nationalist Congress Party’s Tariq Anwar. The Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal were also represented at the day-long programme.

In his speech, Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making false claims on his government’s achievements while, in reality, he had failed to deliver on his electoral promises. He maintained that the Make in India programme, the Swachh Bharat campaign and the promise to create two crore jobs every year had all proved to be failures.

“Modi talks of Make in India,” he said. “But if you look around, everything is made in China. The fact is Modi’s Make in India has failed,” the Congress leader charged. In another dig at the prime minister. Modi-ji says he wants to create a Swachh Bharat but we want Sach Bharat.”

The Nehru-Gandhi scion was equally scathing in his comments on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. “These people did not salute the national flag till the time they came to power,” he said. “The RSS also says that the country is mine. We say we belong to the country. That’s the difference between the RSS and us.”

Message to Nitish Kumar

While the overall tone and tenor of the speeches clearly targeted the Modi government, the speakers were equally quick to underline the need for Opposition parties to join forces to take on a resurgent BJP. Thursday’s meeting had two main objectives. It was meant to convey to the BJP that Opposition unity has not faltered despite its efforts to breach its ranks. At the same time, the programme sent out a message to Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar that his exit has not impacted their resolve to put up a united fight against the BJP.

The meeting was also a personal show of strength for Sharad Yadav, who has raised a banner of revolt against Nitish Kumar following his decision to strike an alliance with the BJP. Yadav’s decision to remain in the Opposition camp has put a question mark over his continuation in the Janata Dal (United). It is now for Nitish Kumar to make the next move.

“Today’s meeting sent out a clear message that democratic and secular parties are together,” said D Raja, a view endorsed by Tariq Anwar. The Nationalist Congress Party leader remarked, “The meeting was a good show of strength by the Opposition leaders… we have to now build on this and give it concrete shape.”

The Opposition leaders will demonstrate their unity next on August 27 in Patna at a public rally called by Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad. Political compulsions have forced the disparate Opposition parties to stick together but the chief challenge before them is to ensure there is no further rupture in their ranks over the next two years till the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Leadership challenge

Despite Thursday’s impressive show, Opposition leaders are acutely aware that they will eventually have to move beyond such meetings and Modi-bashing to convince the country’s electorate that they are capable of providing a stable and viable alternative to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. The parties will have to sink their state-level rivalries to unveil a common agenda that they can take to the people. In the coming days, this group is expected to set up a joint steering committee to flesh out its approach and views on key policies. There is speculation that Sharad Yadav will be the coordinator of this committee.

Leadership is another contentious matter that this group will have to contend with in the coming days. With the BJP leading a presidential-style campaign, the Opposition will have to project a prime ministerial candidate who can take on Modi. Nitish Kumar was the most credible face in the Opposition camp and would have emerged as its leader. His departure has left a vacuum, though the Opposition parties refuse to acknowledge this publicly.

As the only pan-Indian party in this group, the Congress is expected to anchor the proposed coalition. While realising that in spite of its reduced footprint, it is only the Congress that can play this role, the Opposition parties are also wary of its big brother attitude. It is also highly unlikely that the regional parties will accept Rahul Gandhi as the leader of the anti-BJP front being planned with an eye on the next Lok Sabha polls. This matter of leadership will have to be tackled carefully if the Opposition parties are to remain united.

The year-end Gujarat Assembly polls will be the first test for the Congress as the other Opposition parties expect the grand old party to put up a joint fight in this crucial election. It will be a tough call for the Congress to share space with the other parties as none of them, except the Nationalist Congress Party, have any presence in Gujarat. The Congress will be under pressure to go in for a seat-sharing agreement with the others. On the other hand, it will have to deal with its own workers who would not be happy if their share of tickets is reduced. As the Opposition parties grapple with these challenges in the coming days, it will have to be seen if this show of unity can survive their differences and egos.