Oppn show of unity sets ball rolling for 2019 alliance?

MUMBAI: The coming together of opposition parties, especially former allies Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), to participate in the Bharat Bandh on Monday, seems to have set the ball rolling for the mega alliance against the ruling Bhartiya Janata party (BJP) in the state.

The Congress and NCP – who had jointly contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 but failed to reach a consensus on the seatsharing formula – have already declared that they would form an alliance. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Samajwadi Party (SP), Swabhimani Paksha led by MP Raju Shetti, and factions of Republican Party of India (RPI) led by Rajendra Gawai and Jogendra Kawade, participated in the bandh.

While Congress has ruled out the possibility of MNS being made part of the alliance, all the other parties are likely to be part of the opposition alliance in the run-up to the 2019 polls.

State Congress president Ashok Chavan said the agitation can be seen as a process of all like-minded parties coming together in the interest of the greater good as people are in real trouble due to inflation and rising oil prices.

“We need to sit together and discuss the formation of an alliance with them on common interests,” said Chavan.

Indicating the same, state NCP chief Jayant Patil, said, “This is a good beginning. People have started coming together regarding the issues on which BJP has failed. According to me, it is a very significant development. In Maharashtra, a large number of parties will come together for upcoming polls.”

Shetti, Gawai and SP leader Abu Azmi too have admitted to considering becoming alliance partners for the polls.

“Today, we participated in the bandh against rising fuel prices. Our alliance with opposition parties for the polls is also a possibility, provided a respectful seatsharing formula is agreed on,” said Shetti, who recently quit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and accused them of promoting anti-farmer policies.

“I strongly believe that all secular parties should come together for the polls,” Azmi said. Gawai said he is in touch with Congress and NCP leaders and that he is ready to be part of the opposition alliance.

According to political analyst Prakash Bal, both the Congress and NCP have understood the need of the hour and see a good chance of coming back to power if the BJP and Shiv Sena contest polls separately.

“Except MNS, other parties will also join Congress and NCP for an alliance in 2019 polls,” Bal said.

WHILE CONGRESS AND NCP HAVE DECLARED AN ALLIANCE, SAMAJWADI PARTY, SWABHIMANI PAKSHA ARE AMONG THOSE LIKELY TO JOIN THE FOLD