Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
At the all-party Opposition meet today, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday laid out a clear political roadmap and set the agenda as the 2024 general elections, but a united front may still be the Opposition unicorn as several simmering differneces lie just under the surface.
Urging the 19 parties to ‘rise above compusions and differnecnes’, Gandhi said: ‘… the ultimate goal is the 2024 Lok Sabha elections for which we have to begin to plan systematically with the single-minded objective of giving to our country a government that believes in the values of the Freedom Movement and in the principles and provisions of our Constitution.”
She went to add that the Opposition had no other option but to fight together.
‘We all have our compulsions, but clearly, a time has come when the interests of our nation demand that we rise above them.”
Top Opposition leaders including some chief ministers, inclduing Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, reportedly attended the virtual meeting amid efforts to evolve a common strategy against the NDA government.
Thanking Gandhi for bringing ‘like-minded individuals’ together, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, who attended the meet, tweeted: ‘I truly appreciate the steps taken to organise this much needed meeting in view of the present circumstances in our country. The current scenario in India appears very gloomy.”
With the initiative of Smt Sonia ji Gandhi an online meeting of like minded parties was held today.
I truly appreciate the steps taken to organise this much needed meeting in view of the present circumstances in our country. The current scenario in India appears very gloomy. pic.twitter.com/rWUI5Fs1uc— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) August 20, 2021
Hidden cracks
Despite the pompous show of big unity, potential fissures were unmistaken. The Samajwadi Party which until now has been a part of all opposition meetings was conspicuous by its absence. In the upcoming UP polls, the SP hopes to make it to power but chief Akhilesh Yadav has made it clear he won’t tie up with any party especially the Congress.
Sources say SP conveyed to Gandhi that it was busy with partywork hence could not turn up but Congress knows very well that in pollbound states, a show of unity may not make political sense.
The BSP and the AAP were not invited. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has accused the BSP of being the ‘B team of the BJP’ while AAP and the Congress have yet to find their comfort quotient.
While Sonia brought up the Pegasus issue during her speech, some leaders From the RJD and Hemant Soren of JMM insisted that people’s issues which worked on the ground should be the focus. This was also the point which was made during the breakfast meet called by Rahul Gandhi. Mamata Bannerjee who is sparing no chance to remind the Congress that they can’t call the shots till they buck up themselves, too said that all parties need to come together. But it was also made clear that parties like the BSP, BJD which are considered to be soft towards the BJP wohld have no place in such Opposition meetings.
Yet, 2024 is a long way off. And there are many contradictions which may crop up still. Sources say, at the meeting, the stress was also on UP polls. Manata said that winning the state would be a huge setback to Modi and a big boost to Opposition unity.
The Opposition also plans to step up protests all over the country from September 20 to 30 addressing various public issues.
Over the next few days more such meetings are expected to be held with an eye on polls. But two messages from Sonia Gandhi were clear: One her meet was a rebuttal to the dinner meet called by the rebel G23 leader Kapil Sibal in which most top leaders attended. Second, pointed to Mamata and the likes questioning the COngress, the party may be down but it was definitely now out.
