The Cost of Staying Divided

If the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears virtually invincible in Indian politics today, a significant share of the credit must go to the opposition parties themselves. Not only have they failed to forge a cohesive and effective alliance, but they have also been unable to keep their own ranks united, thereby making themselves vulnerable to the BJP's political advances. The most recent example of opposition disunity was witnessed in the Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand. Going by the existing arithmetic of the state assembly, the ruling alliance was comfortably placed to win both seats that were up for grabs, while the BJP was expected to return empty-handed. However, much to the surprise of political observers, the BJP managed to wrest one seat from the ruling coalition, thanks to cross-voting by legislators belonging to the ruling camp. As expected, the outcome triggered a blame game among the alliance partners, with each accusing the others of failing to prevent defections from within their ranks. Ironically, it was the BJP that had initially expressed concerns about possible cross-voting and subsequently housed its MLAs in a hotel in Ranchi to shield them from alleged poaching attempts by the Congress-JMM-RJD alliance. In hindsight, this appears to have been a shrewd political manoeuvre aimed at diverting attention from its own efforts to secure the support of a sufficient number of legislators and win a seat despite being at a numerical disadvantage.

A similar story of political decline can be seen in West Bengal. After ruling the state for nearly 15 years with an iron grip, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has been considerably weakened, with a large number of its MPs and MLAs deserting the party after it was voted out of power. The exodus has left party chief Mamata Banerjee politically isolated and struggling to retain her influence. Faced with this setback, Mamata Banerjee reportedly appealed to various non-BJP parties to unite against the BJP's growing influence. However, her call failed to evoke much enthusiasm, with most opposition parties reluctant to associate themselves closely with her political fortunes. She also sought support from Sonia Gandhi, but apart from expressions of sympathy, little concrete assistance appears to have been forthcoming. Indications from Congress circles suggest that the party is more interested in reclaiming its lost political space in West Bengal than entering into an alliance with the AITC at this juncture. Against this backdrop, Rahul Gandhi's allegations of large-scale vote theft by the BJP appear unconvincing to many observers. It is the responsibility of opposition parties to remain vigilant and ensure that elections are conducted in a free and fair manner. Repeatedly attributing electoral setbacks to irregularities only after suffering defeats risks undermining their own credibility. Rather than relying on allegations after the fact, opposition parties would be better served by strengthening their organisational structures, improving coordination among allies and reconnecting with voters. Unless they address their internal weaknesses and present a credible alternative, it will be difficult to halt the BJP's electoral dominance, which has continued since 2014.