‘Akhilesh Yadav’s Vision to Defeat BJP Needs a United Opposition’
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Fakrul Hassan says INDIA bloc constituents must set aside their differences for the larger cause to unseat BJP. His views:
The differences between the Congress and several regional parties were clearly visible during the recently concluded Assembly elections, particularly in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. In West Bengal, tensions were evident throughout the campaign, with senior Congress leaders openly criticising and targeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In Tamil Nadu, political equations became even more complicated when the Congress parted ways with its long-time ally, the DMK, and joined hands with the newly formed TVK (Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam).
However, the situation appears to be gradually returning to normal, especially after the election results in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee has taken the initiative by appealing to all like-minded parties to come together in the larger fight against the BJP. As far as the DMK is concerned, bringing the party back into the fold may prove challenging. M.K. Stalin is a seasoned and experienced politician, and it will require considerable effort from the Congress and other INDIA alliance partners to rebuild trust and restore the relationship.
As the largest constituent and the only national party within the alliance, the Congress must display greater flexibility and accommodation. It needs to recognise that political ambitions and organisational aspirations sometimes have to be subordinated to a larger objective. Once political damage has been done, merely acknowledging mistakes and attempting damage control often proves insufficient.
This was evident in West Bengal, where divisions among opposition parties created opportunities for the BJP. The resulting fragmentation weakened the opposition space and enabled the BJP to strengthen its position in the state.
As far as the future of the alliance is concerned, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav remains firmly committed to the vision that inspired its formation. Even before the alliance formally came into existence, he had begun efforts to unite opposition forces by travelling from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, meeting like-minded leaders and persuading them to join hands for a common purpose.
With several important Assembly elections scheduled next year, the alliance must act swiftly to resolve internal disagreements and present a united front. Regarding cooperation between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, no decision has yet been taken on seat-sharing arrangements or any pre-poll alliance.
The Samajwadi Party is preparing to contest all 403 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh. Any discussion on an electoral understanding largely depends on the Congress leadership in New Delhi, as the party’s organisational strength in the state has weakened considerably over the years. This decline is reflected in the fact that the Congress now requires support even in traditional strongholds such as Amethi and Rae Bareli.
While the Samajwadi Party has already entered election mode, with Akhilesh Yadav expected to launch a statewide Rath Yatra by late July or early August to connect with the people, the Congress organisation in Uttar Pradesh is yet to demonstrate comparable electoral preparedness.
Ultimately, all constituents of the INDIA alliance must once again come together with a sense of purpose and urgency. They must put aside their differences and focus on the larger objective of defeating the BJP and challenging what they view as its anti-democratic and anti-constitutional policies. Only a united opposition can effectively counter attempts to divide the country and its people for political gain.
As told to Rajat Rai
