The opposition parties seem to be more interested in blocking each other’s path, rather than grouping together to compete against the ruling party. This is why even after registering massive eleven per cent growth in vote share, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has not been able to pose any serious threat to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which easily managed to retain power in Uttar Pradesh. As a matter of fact, though it has won less number of seats this time, BJP’s vote share has increased by three per cent. This electoral statistic highlights that SP has clearly benefited from the dwindling popularity of the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), while BJP’s vote bank has remained intact. Same is the situation in the other states which went to polls recently. The poll results in those states show that BJP would face a much stiffer challenge if the opposition parties could put up a united front.
It appears that more than unity, the opposition leaders are interested in projecting themselves as the prime ministerial face for the 2024 general elections. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao are leaving no stone unturned to fulfill their personal ambitions to lead the country. Recently, Rao hired election strategist Prashant Kishore for this purpose. After winning Punjab, Aam Admi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has emerged as a strong competitor to both Mamata and KCR by virtue of ruling two states at present, unlike the other two Modi challengers.
In such a divided scenario, it appears difficult for the opposition parties to come together against BJP. Before making any moves, the parties should resolve the leadership issue. The chosen leader should have a pan-India appeal. At present, the appeal of Mamata, KCR or Kejriwal is limited to their home states or to the region only. Undoubtedly, Mamata Banerjee is the most powerful leader in West Bengal. But she is yet to prove her nationwide acceptability. The Telangana bastion of KCR is crumbling as shown during the Hyderabad local body election, which will make it difficult for him to expand outside the state. Kejriwal is trying hard to establish his pan-India appeal after the Punjab victory. But till now, the party is not a prominent force in other parts of the country.
The problem of the opposition parties have further been compounded as most regional parties are not interested in liaising with the Congress because of its dismal electoral performances for quite some time now. But in many states still, the party is the main opponent of BJP. The presence of any other opposition parties in those states will make it easier for BJP to defeat the Congress. Moreover, in Rajya Sabha, a number of opposition parties are planning to form a front and stake claim as the principal opposition block, replacing the Congress. Thus, the opposition parties must do some serious soul-searching if they are truly interested in throwing a challenge to BJP.