NEW DELHI: Amid West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee chanting the coalition mantra during her ongoing visit to Delhi, the index of Opposition unity in Parliament is getting stronger with daily joint strategy meetings and back channel talks to corner the Centre over the Pegasus snoopgate.
Given the scale of its footprint, it’s Pegasus that has catalysed unity within the Opposition, with leaders across the spectrum resolving to fight together against the government in Parliament. They are not stalling debate; instead they are pressing for a discussion on the matter in the presence of the prime minister or the home minister. They also want a judicial probe by a Supreme Court-monitored committee.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who generally skips Opposition meetings, has been present at joint strategy sessions in Parliament this time around. Also, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has otherwise not been part of the strategy meetings, is on the same Opposition page on Pegasus.
Another element of the strategy is all like-minded parties giving adjournment motions on the issue in both Houses. The floor leaders of the Opposition parties have been meeting almost every day to synchronise their approach.
On Wednesday, floor leaders of 14 Opposition parties met in the office of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament. “Sitting with the entire opposition is extremely humbling. Amazing experience, wisdom and insight in everyone present,” Rahul tweeted after the meeting.
The 14 parties are the Congress, DMK, Samajwadi Party, CPM, CPI, National Conference, Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena, Rashtriya Janata Dal, AAP, IUML, RSP, KCM and VCK. The Trinamool Congress had to skip it because it happened at the same time Mamata had scheduled her meeting with party MPs.
Mamata had a busy second day in the Capital, meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi and AAP founder Arvind Kejriwal to drum up support for Opposition unity. For the record, she told reporters, “I don’t want to be the face of the Opposition... not everyone has to be... I am a simple worker, want to continue as a worker. we all need to work together.” Who would eventually lead the coalition would depend on the situation, she added.
“Regional parties will lead the nation, we will not bow down before anyone anymore... the time has come,” she said. As for unity in Parliament, Elamaram Kareem, CPM floor leader in Rajya Sabha, said the Opposition has taken a united stand on various issues.
Mamata ambiguous
Choosing to be cagey about being the face of a united Opposition, Mamata told reporters: “You are asking me the name of the child even before it is born.” Modi government can be defeated. “If Bengal could do it, so can the other states.”