A strong show of unity, but a lot still to be done

The mega-rally of the Opposition parties hosted by Trinamul Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Kolkata’s historic Brigade Parade Ground was a truly massive affair, and calls to mind some of the epoch-making rallies of the past. But does it presage the crafting of history? This question is likely to trouble not just the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but also the opponents of the present government.

The turnout was humongous. Among the participants that were drawn to the magnum-sized event were all the parties that have opposed the Modi government from the beginning, partly out of ideological compulsions and partly due to the government’s ineptness and persistent failures. The exception was the Left Front. This was probably because the Trinamul Congress, which had ousted it from power in West Bengal over seven years ago, was the show’s host. In the larger scheme of things, however, the absence of the Left has limited meaning as the ideology and political play of this bloc can’t be anything but anti-BJP.

On the other-hand, the Telugu Desam Party, a long-time BJP ally that recently severed its links with the saffron party, was a prominent participant. Its leader and Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu has been the moving spirit in coordinating the Opposition parties. In contrast, Telangana CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who had worked to establish a Federal Front of regional parties along with Ms Banerjee, was not on the scene.

Prominent BJP dissidents Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and film personality Shatrughan Sinha, all three Cabinet ministers in the first BJP-led government of late Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, not only participated but were scathing in their observations, especially the actor-politician who publicly praised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and copied the latter’s slogan of “chowkidar chor hai” (the guard is in fact the thief).

The political message was that the major parties at the rally would lead the anti-BJP charge in their respective areas of influence, with none being placed on a pedestal. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge read out a strong message of support from Sonia Gandhi, which exhorted that “even if there was no meeting (of) hearts, the participants should hold hands”. This was a pithy remark which acknowledged the reality — and pointed to the gap that still needs to be filled on the Opposition side.

If Sonia and Rahul Gandhi too were present (presumably they skipped as Ms Banerjee had not attended a Congress-organised event in New Delhi), the Kolkata rally may have borne comparison with the massive show held in early 1977 in opposition to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi after the Emergency was suspended and the Opposition leaders freed from jail. Their coming together had led to the Janata Party government.

If Sonia and Rahul Gandhi too were present, the Kolkata rally may have borne comparison with the massive show held in early 1977 in opposition to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi