The 2024 Effect: Parallel Conclaves
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By Our Editorial Team
First publised on 2023-07-21 01:38:56
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The India Commentary view
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The politics of coalition has gathered steam as the 2024 elections approach. After a period of uncertainty, the opposition seems to be getting its act together as its conclave in Bengaluru attracted 25 major parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The tiff between AAP and the Congress was resolved after the latter agreed to oppose the Delhi services ordinance in Parliament, a major demand of AAP before it took part in the conclave. The gathering named the proposed alliance I.N.D.I.A - the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance - and said that the fight in 2024 will be between the divisive politics of the NDA and I.N.D.I.A as proposed by them. Among the major parties (apart from YSR and BJD that follow an independent, non-aligned policy), the BRS of K Chandrasekahr Rao of Telangana chose to stay away although it took pains to clarify that not attending the meet did not mean that it did not oppose the BJP. The gathering formed a 10-member coordination committee to take things forward and discussed ways to enhance cooperation among the attending parties, both in Parliament and outside to corner the government on various issues as well as devise ways to take on NDA candidates jointly in the 2024 elections. Although these are early days, the fact that 25 parties - most of them regional heavyweights - have come together is good for Indian democracy and a cause of concern for the NDA.
That the NDA is worried both about fighting a two-term anti-incumbency and the perception that it is not a ally-friendly alliance (due to attempts by the BJP to muscle into the space of regional partners or causing splits in other parties) was amply visible when it held a parallel meeting of 38 parties - most of them lightweights in their respective regions - to bring up 25 years of the alliance. Although Prime Minister Modi chose to describe the opposition alliance as one guided by 'compulsions' it is obvious that the BJP is also trying to shore up the NDA by bringing back old allies and reaching out to new ones in order to counter the threat presented by an united opposition.
But what is happening is good for Indian democracy. A stable alliance of parties that represent diverse political views and come on a common platform with an agreed agenda is always better that a political hegemon pursuing its own agenda. The operative word here is stable. The NDA has been stable as the BJP is numerically far ahead of its partners. The UPA also used to be stable when the Congress used to get a good number of seats. But the same cannot be said about I.N.D.I.A (if it takes shape) where some parties with near- equal number of Lok Sabha seats will jostle for supremacy and gaining control, thereby making the alliance unstable. The opposition must sort this out before the 2024 general elections to gain the confidence of the people.
