Mamata has the penchant for coining effective slogans. But this time, her slogan of BJP-Quit India, has not been appropriate. There cannot be any parallel with Gandhiji’s call to British to quit India in August 1942. The BJP is a Party deeply rooted in the traditions of this country that is mainly Bharat. The Party’s ideologies that are divisive have to be fought fiercely by the united opposition. So the best slogan could have been BJP Hatao, Desh Bachao. However, the essence of Mamata’s call is that all the opposition parties which have supported the opposition candidates for the posts of President and Vice-President, have to remain united and be a part of the massive campaign against the Narendra Modi government on the basis of focused programmes dealing with the urgent issues of the day.BJD which supported the BJP presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, has decided to support Gopal Krishna Gandhi in the vice-presidential elections on August 5 and that is a big advance for the opposition.

The Congress is the main opposition Party and it is the only challenger to the resurging BJP in major states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh in the coming assembly elections. In Gujarat, the Party has got some fresh setback with the resignation of SS Vaghela from the Party. There is little time left for the next assembly elections in Gujarat and it is crucial for the Congress to improve its performance in Gujarat assembly elections. The Congress leadership must get its mojo back and jump into campaign against the centre and the Prime Minister with full determination and gusto. The BJP and the media might be giving the impression that the coming assembly elections in the Congress ruled states and in the BJP ruled states, are all going to the BJP’s pocket but the ground reality is not so straight. The political parties may not be that active against the BJP government as they should have been, but the masses are disgruntled and even without the political leadership, the affected sections, like farmers, small traders and the artisans are on the streets agitating against the centre’s policies. The Congress and the opposition have to articulate these feelings of the discontented masses in the coming months.

In West Bengal, despite all the criticisms, Mamata is steadfast in her opposition to the BJP, and there is very little chance of the BJP improving its position in the coming Lok Sabha poll from the present strength of two out of the total of 42 seats. Trinamool has got 34 and it is sure to maintain it .The main task of the opposition is to build unity in Uttar Pradesh and face BJP jointly. The BJP got 73 seats out of 80 in the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and later in assembly elections earlier this year, it repeated its excellent performance. But even then, the alliance of the Samajwadi Party, BSP and the Congress can bring about such a fundamental change in the poll arithmetic that the BJP can be pushed down to the tally below 20.The state administration of the BJP led Uttar Pradesh government has totally failed to ensure law and order in the last four months. The united efforts of Akhilesh, Mayawati and Congress, can put the BJP in its proper place where it generally belongs.

For opposition, there is very little time for preparations. There is a strong possibility that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is known for giving surprises, may call for Lok Sabha elections in 2018, a year before the scheduled period in 2019. Exercises have been done at the level of the BJP think tanks as also key advisers of the Prime Minister. The option is open.PM will be taking the final decision after the presentation of the next budget based on both political and economic ground reality. Despite all tall talk at the level of the BJP leaders and their chest thumping at the recent successes, the economic reality is very grim. The farmers are in dire distress and the discontent is more rampant in the BJP ruled states. The young dalits who saw hopes in the Prime Minister before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, are losing their faith in the BJP government. The informal sector is in a severe crisis. The BJP leadership will not like the opposition parties to give time to strengthen the index of opposition unity to fight the BJP.PM will like to take on an unprepared opposition if the projections of economy for 2018, are not favourable.

BJP has huge funds both from within the country and also overseas. The Party machinery under President Amit Shah is fully geared up to face Lok Sabha elections at any time, but the opposition is not in that condition. The Congress machinery is not at all geared up. The party has problems with both funds and organization. The leadership has to take immediate steps to bolster these two vital areas. A demoralized Congress can never lead the opposition to victory against the BJP in the next Lok Sabha poll. The Congress has to recall the 2003-2004 period of Vajpayee regime when the Shining India was at its peak. Not even senior Congress leaders thought of the Congress crossing 200 seats. They were reconciled to BJP victory, but the masses decided otherwise. In 2018-19, the tasks are however much more difficult with a highly effective BJP organization and a successful Modi-Shah duo at the top, but ultimately, the underprivileged masses will decide and the opposition, especially the Congress has to remain connected with them in the remaining. Months. That is the only guarantee of the defeat of the saffron forces. (IPA Service)