WHO WILL BE CONVENER OF ANTI-MODI FRONT?

There are many contenders for the job of the convener of the anti-Narendra Modi front. Telangana CM KCR was the first off the bat when he announced an anti BJP/anti-Congress front, and reached out to Mamata Banerjee. But the shrewd West Bengal CM has aspirations of her own and immediately dialled DMK leader Stalin and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, with whom she has cordial relations. She has also announced her ambition of unfurling the Tricolour from Delhi’s Red Fort. In addition, while KCR got only Asaduddin Owaisi’s support, Mamata has a cordial rapport with Akhilesh Yadav and Arvind Kejriwal and Sharad Pawar as well. The last name, however, has ambitions of his own. Pawar did his own round of dinner diplomacy in the national capital recently. He too is keen to head the anti-Modi front. Then there is the newly minted anti-Modi player, Chandrababu Naidu, who has just cut ties with the NDA. He has experience on his side, for he has been the convener of the United Front in the past. In all this, where does the Congress fit in? Rahul Gandhi certainly has the support of Omar Abdullah and Tejashwi Yadav and maybe even Sitaram Yechury, but the other more seasoned regional chiefs are apprehensive of uniting under his leadership. As a TMC leader pointed out, “Can you even compare Mamata’s experience versus his inexperience?” Is that the reason why Mamata, Mayawati and Akhilesh did not make a personal appearance at Sonia Gandhi’s dinner, but instead sent their representatives?