Opposition needs to address the cracks in its ranks

Internal discord and unclear intentions of leaders are some of the obstacles to be overcome for the INDIA coalition in the upcoming Mumbai meeting

Amid the excitement over the success of Chandrayaan-3 and the upcoming G20 summit, a major political event is also being held — the third gathering of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), in Mumbai, on August 31 and September 1. Political observers eagerly await this meeting. Will INDIA be able to offer itself this time around as a viable political alternative?

INDIA’s leaders must exercise extreme caution even before stepping out of their homes. (ANI)

Till now, this coalition has sent mixed signals. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal’s expression of displeasure and departure at the Patna conference hinted at some discord, while Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar was allegedly ignored in Bengaluru. But during the monsoon session, INDIA appeared to be united in their opposition to the Delhi Services Bill.

But things soured again when young Congress leader Alka Lamba, a political newcomer, claimed the Congress was planning to contest all Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. Needless to say, the AAP reacted angrily. The Congress later distanced itself from the statement, but the damage was done. Sharad Pawar, one of the country’s senior-most politicians, also remains an enigma before INDIA (and the National Democratic Alliance). On August 12, the Maratha stalwart met his nephew Ajit for a few hours, raising questions about INDIA’s future. Pawar eventually clarified, but his intentions are not fully clear yet. Pawar himself is to blame for this.

Praful Patel, who had attended the Patna conference of INDIA with Pawar, has since switched sides to the Ajit camp. He is now seen as a key strategist and representative of the Ajit faction. Was Pawar ignorant of Patel’s “uprising”? A similar situation had emerged three-and-a-half years ago. But Pawar managed to quell Ajit’s insurrection in time. However, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)’s internal squabbles have continued.

The NCP chief’s political career is riddled with such puzzling inconsistencies. It is not fair to seek proof of his good intentions at this age, but what else can be done? It is required because of the situation. He must dispel the fog himself. It would benefit both him and INDIA.

Not only that, but INDIA’s senior leaders will have to restrict what they say. They certainly appear more united than before, but they have to tread carefully. The main reason for this is that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a far more organised structure. The saffron party’s stalwarts are able to interpret and publicise their statements in no time. For example, on Wednesday, Lalu Prasad Yadav stated that INDIA may have multiple coordinators. The news that Nitish Kumar’s future was jeopardised quickly spread on social media. This is the moment to weigh each word.

Furthermore, INDIA’s leaders must exercise extreme caution even before stepping out of their homes. Let me offer an example. Last week, reports surfaced that an ambulance had been forcibly stopped for Nitish Kumar’s convoy. Is this limited to Bihar? Similarly, questions were raised when a person strolling with Lalu Prasad Yadav holding an umbrella for him was reportedly found to be a deputy superintendent of police. Such incidents involving VIPs can be found all over the place, but they never become viral.

They have previously demonstrated alertness and coordination. Remember the 2015 Bihar elections? Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav fought together. That election was a one-of-a-kind example of coordination. They had only held one joint rally. Later on, all their rallies were separate, but they all said the same thing everywhere. Senior JD-U leaders used to stand behind him at Lalu Yadav rallies and senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) members at Nitish Kumar meetings. This gave a clear message to people that political reconciliation was taking form. The election results attested to this sentiment. It is apparent that INDIA will have to decide the nature of its alliance, its message, and the degree of coordination at the Mumbai meeting.

The parties in this alliance should remember that the BJP and the NDA are completely unified behind Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi. Their message is the same from Delhi to all the country’s provincial capitals. Because of this, the voter’s belief that aayega to Modi hi (only Modi will make it to power) is continually reinforced. INDIA will have to find a method to counter it in Mumbai. They must remember that the PM has already begun his Lok Sabha election campaign by drawing the outline of his third innings from the Red Fort.

Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. The views expressed are personal