Rewind

New Delhi, 20 January 2022

Opposition Lacks Grit and Fire

By Inder Jit

(Released On 25 September 1984)

Opposition efforts to forge a credible alternative to Mrs. Gandhi and her Congress-I are continuing. Hardly a day passes when one does not hear reports of some new formula or proposition. Broadly, the proposers may be divided into two categories: those who favour and clamour for a merger and those who are opposed to it and say that the answer lies in co-operation and co-ordination. But in all this exercise, one thing is sadly missed out. The Opposition leaders seem to lack the fire --- and a sense of do or die which could make all the difference between victory and defeat. Regretfully, most Opposition leaders appear reconciled to their present lot. In fact, they seem to be quite happy with the existing state of privileges, facility to travel abroad and around the country and address meetings --- all vital for the ego. In addition, most top leaders manifestly have enough money to live comfortably and pay for personal staff, hangers on and much else.

All this is in sharp contrast to the case of Mrs. Gandhi when she was in the political wilderness from 1977 to 1980. Undoubtedly, Mrs. Gandhi suffered greatly in silence, following the route of 1977. She is stated to have even toyed with the idea of quitting politics. Importantly, however, she felt a tremendous sense of humiliation at having been made to bite dust and gave herself a one-point programme: to wipe out the stigma of defeat and win back power, whatever the price. Towards this end, she worked hard and courageously. Some fair-minded opponents recall how Mrs. Gandhi went all out to fight the poll battle of 1980. In Bombay, for instance, she did not stop campaigning at 6 p.m. and retire to comfort like her soft rivals. Instead, she carried her poll campaign to the red light area and went from door to door with folded hands to seek the people’s vote. The fire which Mrs. Gandhi showed in 1980 appears to be totally missing in the Opposition leaders today. Few among them seem to suffer any sense of humiliation and deprivation --- or have the same sense of grit and determination.

Outrageous developments in Andhra Pradesh and the ultimate triumph of the popular democratic will have provided a shot in the arm of the Opposition in its efforts to forge unity. Never before have top Opposition leaders struggled together so long, so hard and so successfully as in the case of this latest assault on democracy. Addressing the victory rally at the Lal Bahadur Stadium in Hyderabad last Thursday, the BJP leader, Mr. Atal Behri Vajpayee, said that the Opposition parties which had fought unitedly to save democracy in Andhra Pradesh should now carry the battle to Delhi. Characteristically, he did not stop at that and added: “We should not rest till Mrs. Gandhi is removed from power.” The BJP leader seemed to reflect not only his own feeling but that of the entire Opposition and their rank and file. More and more among the common people feel likewise. But the big question is: how? Will the Opposition be able to unite? As we all know from our school books, beggars would ride if wishes were horses!

Theoretically, everything looks logical and easy after Andhra Pradesh. Our people today are roused on the issue of democracy as never before. They seem widely aware about the dangers to basic freedoms from the forces of authoritarianism. They are also conscious of the fact that the battle of democracy has to be fought hard and continuously. But life is not logic, as shown once again by distressing experiences over the last few months. New moves for Opposition unity were initiated early in April by the Janata President, Mr. Chandra Shekhar, in accordance with his party’s resolution at its national conference in Patna in March. Mr. Chandra Shekhar had two rounds of talks with the Lok Dal leader, Mr. Charan Singh. These meetings were followed by talks between Mr. Charan Singh and the Janata leaders, Mr. R.K. Hegde, Karnataka’s Chief Minister, and Prof. Madhu Dandwate. The talks went off unexpectedly well and, for once, it looked that Opposition unity was within grasp --- even if the BJP was firmly set against merger, as in the case of CPI and CPM.

Most top leaders seem to veer round to the view that a mere united front would not be enough. (Remember, Opposition conclaves for forging a United Front were held at Vijayawada, New Delhi, Srinagar and Calcutta.) It was increasingly felt that unity under one party would have more credibility than under a united front. The Lok Dal leader, Mr. Charan Singh, was particularly happy since he was firmly of the opinion that the people wanted a clear alternative to the Congress-I. this, in his view, could be provided only by offering them a one-party Government instead of a coalition which aroused fears of infighting and instability. When some supporters of the move for unification of the Lok Dal and the Janata Party were asked about the Lok Dal-BJP alliance, they replied: “We will cross the bridges when we come to them.” Top Janata leaders even saw no contradiction between a united front and a united party. Said one leader: “If some parties in the united front unite, only the constituents of the front would be reduced. The front itself would survive.”

Sadly, however, things did not work out too well. By the end of July, both theJanata Party and the Congress-S had second thoughts. Early in August, Mr. Sharad Pawar and Mr. Chandra Shekhar saw Mr. Charan Singh and this time mooted a formula which came close to a united party but was qualitatively different. They suggested that their three parties should fight the poll battle jointly under one flag, one symbol, one manifesto and one leader. Parties such as the Democratic Socialist Party, which had adopted a resolution favouring a unified party as in 1977, could also be invited to join the combination. But it was clarified that the one leader would only be the Chairman of the Presidium and not its supreme leader. In addition, it was proposed that the Presidium would have two General Secretaries, who alone would have the power to communicate the names of the candidates to the Election Commission. This, it was argued, would ensure that no one person would individually be able to upset the democratic decisions of the party’s highest organs.

Expectedly, the proposal came as a major disappointment to Mr. Charan Singh, who still believes that a single united party is the crying need of the hour. At the same time, it has brought the Janata Party and the Congress-S closer to the thinking of the three other principle Opposition parties: the BJP and the CPI and the CPM. All now seem willy-nilly agreed that they cannot possibly go to the polls under one leader and hope to win the battle of the hustings. There is no single leader, it is argued, who can expect to help Opposition bag all the votes that each party would expect to get separately on its own from their supporters. Undoubtedly, Mr.Charan Singh occupies an unrivalled position and following among the leaders. No Opposition strategy or calculation can ignore himor his Lok Dal. But there is no love lost between Mr.Charan Singh and the upper castes and the cities dwellers. In 1980, the United Front projected Mr. Jagjivan Ramas its leader, but came to grief. Most upper castes voted against the United Front, not excluding many committed to the Janata and the BJP.

The BJP feels that the timehas come for the Opposition parties to be pragmatic and adopt a firm, clearcut approach and not be carried away by illusions. 1984, they argue,is not 1977. The period between 1971 and 1977 was marked by increasing mutual trust between the Opposition parties. In sharp contrast, the last four years have been known for increasing distrust. Said a top BJP leader: “You have only to hear what the leaders of various parties have to say about the other within the privacy of their offices and homes.” It, therefore, wants all the Opposition parties to stop talking of unity or merger or of projecting one leader as its answer to Mrs. Gandhi. Instead, it feels they should work for a poll strategy uninfluenced by ideological considerations. The BJP and the CPI may go on the opposite ends of the ideological spectrum. Nevertheless, both could help each other in beating the common foe, namely the Congress-I. Minus an accord, supporters of the BJP could, for instance,vote for the Congress-I instead of the CPM in Calcutta and Communist sympathizers vote for the Congress-I instead of the BJP in Delhi.

In fact, Mr.Vajpayee has come forward with the following specific four-point proposal: (i) Let us concentrate on devising ways to avoid splitting of Opposition votes. To this end, let all attention be focused on adjustment of seats. The main basis for deciding claimsshould be the Lok Sabha and Assembly election results of 1980. Conspicuous accretion or depletion in a party’s strength subsequently should also be taken into account. (ii) Talks for seat adjustment should be initiated at the earliest at the State level, where party representatives are more in touch with the ground realities. Also, difficulties in arriving at an understanding in one state should not affect agreement in another state. (iii) While parties may issue their own manifestoes,they should declare their readiness to form a coalition on the basis of a common minimum programme, if, as expected, the people decide to throw out the Congress-I. the Janata programme of 1977 can well be the basis of such an agreed programme. (iv) The coalition leader would be decidedby the elected MPs of the constituent parties.

What the Opposition leaders might do or might not do in the coming weeks is in the lap of the Gods. One thing alone seems fairly clear. Mr.Vajpayee and his close colleagues have a point when they say that the time has come for the Opposition to end the continuing confusion and decide on one formula for the forthcoming polls --- one single party or united front. There is nothing congenitally or conceptually wrong with a coalition government. In fact, honest and principled coalition Governments are known to have done much better than one party Governments. Simultaneously, the Opposition leaders must learn to exercise restraint in regard to their counter-parts in the other parties not only in the public and in the Press but also in their private utterances. Nothing has wrought greater havoc to the cause of Opposition unity in the poll battle than some unfortunate remarks in recent weeks. Above all,the Opposition leaders still have to prove that they can truly put their egos aside and place country before self. It is not enough for them to say that Mrs.Gandhi should be removed. The people want to be assured that the Opposition can be trusted to stand together and deliver the goods.----INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)