The Opposition had a spring in its step after the conclusion of its massive ‘Chalo Dilli’ rally against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at the historic Ramlila Maidan on Sunday. Whether or not Kumar departs, the protest has provided a springboard for the immediate task ahead: preventing a third consecutive mandate for the Lotus in Uttar Pradesh. If the recent MLC poll drubbing did little to dent the Congress, the Samajwadi Party’s commanding performance has given it the political space to forge a formidable Opposition coalition in UP.
The show of strength clearly signalled that the Congress intends to shape the Opposition’s national agenda. The Delhi rally also showcased Rahul Gandhi’s emergence as the INDIA bloc’s undisputed leader, a position his allies were reluctant to accord him until a few months ago. He built the ‘vote theft’ plank from scratch, even when many within his own party doubted its appeal among the masses. Subsequent media scrutiny of the shortcomings of the controversial special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and alleged dissonance within the poll panel, gave his campaign further impetus. In his concluding address, Gandhi underscored Opposition unity, calling it “one protest” and signalling that the entire INDIA bloc shared a common aim: to eject Kumar from the poll body. “This is not the voice of a political party. This is the voice of Indian youth, farmers and people,” he said. But the goal was larger—to ultimately challenge India’s political leadership. He struck a reasonable, rather than shrill, note when he invoked the analogy of ‘Shiv ki barat’ (a wedding procession where everyone is free to participate), saying he wanted an India open to everyone. “If a farmer works hard, he should be allowed to fulfil his dream. If a student studies for 18 hours, they should be rewarded,” he said.
Gandhi deserves full credit for emerging as the Opposition’s spearhead and posing serious questions to those in power. He is articulating the Opposition’s position with a confidence and finesse many thought he lacked. But the difficult part lies ahead: negotiating seat-sharing arrangements within the INDIA bloc, with electoral victory as the sole yardstick, not the bloated egos of regional Congress satraps. Managing the electoral ambitions of the nascent Cockroach Janta Party will pose another major challenge. The first test in preventing a split in Opposition votes lies in UP.
