Though Samajwadi Party did not attend this virtual meeting, the SP leader Akhilesh Yadav informed that his absence was due to travelling and he agreed to the statement jointly issued by the parties. This should be a big relief for the opposition since SP has a big role in this proposed anti-BJP front and its performance in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in March 2022 will be an important factor in the coming battle against the BJP.

Both Rahul Gandhi and the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have made relevant points. Rahul has talked of an alternate vision as against the RSS-BJP manifesto and how to convey that to people in simple language. This means a common minimum programme which will contain the vision of an inclusive secular India. Mamata, in her pragmatic manner, talked of the setting up a core committee to strategise the vision and the action programme. She made it clear that the leadership issue should be discussed later.

This is a very delicate issue for the Congressmen as they have always thought in terms of the Congress as the natural leader of the opposition and Rahul Gandhi as their leader. This has to change. Rahul can certainly be the leader of the opposition and in the process the Prime Minister candidate but that he has to earn through his efforts in making a success of the Congress Party in the coming state assembly elections. Rahul has to prove his mettle in that coming battle the outcome of which will influence in considerable manner the course of the campaign before the Lok Sabha poll in 2024.

Mamata has talked the necessity of all parties rising above the self interests to defeat BJP. This is absolutely correct. But for that Trinamool Congress has to show that it means what the supremo says. There have been many occasions in the recent weeks, Trinamool MPs avoided meetings or march convened by Rahul Gandhi and gave the impression that they do not recognise Rahul Gandhi as their leader. In fact the Trinamool Parliamentary Committee reportedly said that they wanted Mamata as the opposition candidate for PM. This also has to stop if Mamata really means what she says. Both Congress and Trinamool should stop discussions about leadership issue. The core committee will be functioning and all focus has to be on the state elections. Many new developments will be taking place in the coming months and the opposition will have to be prepared to tackle that accordingly.

The joint statement has called for action programme on the basis of a set of demands from September 20 to 30 this year. This has to be made a success in all states, especially the poll bound states. Even in states like West Bengal, where a joint agitation of the Trinamool and the Left is not possible, individually the parties will have to generate a mood against the BJP and the ruling government. This is essential as the festive season will begin after that and till the middle of November, the active actions may not be possible. More importantly, there is a threat of third wave of corona. If it really arrives, many of the scheduled programmes of the opposition will have to be suspended.

Sonia Gandhi has not invited Aam Admi Party and also the three other regional parties BJD of Odisha, YSRC of Andhra Pradesh and TRS of Telangana. TDP was also not invited but all these four parties as also AAP attended the dinner meeting of the anti-BJP parties organised by the Congress MP Kapil Sibal earlier this month. It was a big boost for opposition in the sense that the three parties of the South as also BJD spoke against the BJP and kept their options open. These parties might not have joined the August 20 meeting even they were invited. That way, the official Congress has a limitation in reaching out to the regional parties which are fence sitters at the moment but circumstances can persuade them to side with the anti-BJP opposition. After the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the support of these parties might be needed.

The complexities of the political compulsions in the states require a multi track approach and flexibility on behalf of the opposition, especially the leaders. Rahul Gandhi or Sonia may not feel comfortable in talking to the regional chief ministers who are presently not with the opposition. But Mamata can, she has that relationship with these CMs. Mamata mentioned that also in her virtual speech that these regional parties also should be invited in the anti-BJP front.

That way, Mamata can be given the responsibility of opening a second front in the war against the BJP. This is relevant only for the Lok Sabha elections and after. The ground reality is that in these states, there cannot be any understanding between the Congress and the regional parties for the state elections. There is no need for that. These parties support will be needed after the Lok Sabha elections. That is what matters most. Sonia and Rahul have to be prepared to accept this two track approach if they really want to make the front all pervasive anti-BJP combine.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a 24x7 political worker. He has turned his entire secretariat into a war room for BJP for the state assembly elections for 2022. He knows the importance of Uttar Pradesh elections and how its outcome will impact Lok Sabha poll. He is personally monitoring the strategy for the UP assembly polls. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken some recent measures which are directed at the electorate. More such measures are expected. Yogi is getting full assistance from the Centre. Funds are no problem for the BJP in UP. It is a massive challenge for the opposition to take on BJP in the assembly poll. Samajwadi Party is working hard, Congress has also started campaign under Priyanka Gandhi. Organisationally, SP is in a far better position compared to the Congress. SP is trying to have alliance with smaller parties. There has been some success but compared to the reach of BJP and its muscle power in terms of finances, the SP preparation is not adequate. It would have been excellent if some understanding can be made with the Congress based on the respective real strength of both the parties at the ground level.

This UP assembly poll should get the focus of the opposition core group once it is formed. Prashant Kishor, the poll strategist is supposed to work for Congress for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. If he has started already officially, UP poll should be his priority along with the other states where the Congress is the main contender against the BJP like Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. Punjab is ruled by the Congress and the Party should win comfortably taking into account the parting of ways between Akali Dal and BJP. But the real challenge lies in winning by the Congress of the other states UK, Goa and Manipur which the BJP snatched away in the last assembly elections by just defections and money power. Rahul Gandhi has to win at least two states out of these three smaller states. That will give him the standing which he needs badly. Congressmen and the people in general must see him as a winner.

At the end, a victory in poll is the ultimate arbiter. Mamata is enjoying her stature now because of her massive victory against the BJP in the recent elections in Bengal. If BJP would have won in the elections defeating Trinamool, nobody would have mentioned about Mamata as a potential opposition front leader. Mamata has proved that she has that killer instinct which is needed to defeat BJP and the Prime Minister. She has proved that. Rahul has to do that in the coming state assembly elections. The opposition needs the combination of Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee to take on BJP in the great battle for Bharata in 2024. There should be perfect understanding between both. Both will have to do maximum for consolidating and taking forward the opposition unity. This is the great call of the hour. That is what the country demands. (IPA Service)