Ever since BJP came to power in 2014, the opposition has fought tooth and nail against all the obstructions to oust the saffron party from power. In such a move, they even tried to unite multiple times but failed hilariously. However, the idea of the united opposition itself suggests the power of PM Modi and BJP. But what is even more hilarious is that the BJP doesn’t need any strategy against the united opposition because the opposition has already dug a hole for itself and has failed the unity test.
Mamata is not ready to play second fiddle to Congress
In what can be an attempt by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to prove that her stature is above the Congress party, TMC Supremo has made the first move to make strategies for the presidential election. She is ensuring that Trinamool Congress does not play second fiddle to the Congress at the national stage, and thus has invited leaders of 19 political parties to a meeting in Delhi next Wednesday. The meeting will aim producing a “confluence of Opposition voices” for the presidential election.
“The presidential elections are around the corner, presenting the perfect opportunity for all progressive opposition parties to reconvene and deliberate on the future course of Indian politics,” Banerjee wrote to leaders of different parties, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and eight other Opposition CMs: Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann (AAP), Naveen Patnaik (BJD), Pinarayi Vijayan (CPM), K Chandrashekar Rao (TRS), Hemant Soren ( JMM), M K Stalin (DMK) and Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-led MVA).
The Invitation has also been sent to Akhilesh Yadav (SP), D Raja (CPI), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Lalu Prasad (RJD), Jayant Chaudhary (RLD), former PM HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy (JDS), Farooq Abdullah (National Conference), Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), Sukhbir Singh Badal (Shiromani Akali Dal), Pawan Chamling (Sikkim Democratic Front), and K M Kader Mohideen (IUML).
Banerjee wrote: “The election is monumental because it gives legislators the opportunity to participate in deciding the Head of our State who is the custodian of our democracy. At a time when our democracy is going through troubling times, I believe that a fruitful confluence of Opposition voices is the need of the hour; to echo the deprived and unrepresented communities.”
Opposition is united against Mamata
This move by Mamata has not only surprised but also upset the other parties including Congress. Some sources have expressed their resentment about the need for Banerjee to have taken such an initiative. As per the report, a senior Congress leader has informed that the Congress party is infuriated by the TMC. Left parties, too, were not happy by Banerjee’s move.
The Congress also put out a statement stating its president Sonia Gandhi had “reached out and deliberated the issue of the upcoming presidential election with Sharad Pawar, Mamata Banerjee and some other Opposition leaders” and “as per her discussions with other opposition leaders, she (has) deputed the Mallikarjun Kharge to coordinate with other leaders in view of her ill health owing to Covid.”
“The Congress Party is of the opinion that the nation needs a person as President who can protect the Constitution, our institutions and citizenry from the ongoing onslaught by the ruling party. This is the need of the hour. While the Congress Party has not suggested a particular name, we owe it to our people to elect a President who can apply a healing touch to its fractured social fabric and defend our Constitution,” the statement said.
2022 Presidential Elections: who will win?
President Ram Nath Kovind’s tenure is soon to end in July 2022.After all, Ram Nath Kovind, the current President turned 76 last year. Given the BJP’s rule of not promoting anyone above 70 it looks highly unlikely that he will be given a second crack at the position.
Read more: Suresh Prabhu and 6 more: A look at probable candidates for the post of India’s President
Moreover, in order to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024, it is required for the opposition to lessen the “ease of doing business” by electing a President from the opposition. However, in a smart move, India’s ruling party has already launched the hunt for a new person in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
On the other hand, the so-called unity of the opposition doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon. While Mamata is eyeing the PM’s chair, the Congress party is not ready to lower its stature against the regional parties. Moreover, the egos of Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal will also play a big role in ensuring that the two never fight an election together.
Now, Mamata’s attempts to project herself as the tallest political leader are also only backfiring at the moment as it will create a rift between the “united opposition.” Believe it or not, the power tussle will make the presidential elections a cakewalk for BJP. Given these developments, it can be asserted that the saffron party is going to win the upcoming elections.