OMKAR DATTATRAY
Sanity and good sense prevailed upon the leaders of INDI Alliance and they have decided not to stake claim to government formation and decided unanimously to sit in opposition .Congress president Mapanna Mallikarjun Kharge rightly stated that the INDI Alliance will sit in opposition and will act at the appropriate time .The conscious and sagacious voters have not given the INDIA alliance the mandate to form the government and rule the country and instead has mandated them to perform the role of opposition in the vibrant and thriving democracy .The fact of the matter is that the INDIA alliance has not got the necessary numbers of simple majority that is the 272 seats required for government formation and thus it is the best course for the INDIA alliance to perform the role of strong ,stable and viable opposition and not stake claim for government formation .It is the right ,judicious and democratic decision of the INDIA alliance not to stake claim for government formation as this alliance falls short of the magic number to form the government .The INDI Alliance has the people’s mandate to sit in opposition and perform the positive and constructive role of opposition in the country and enrich and nourish democracy .Both the treasury benches and opposition parties are the two faces of the democracy and they are complimentary and supplementary to each other and the ship of democracy will swim safely and reach its destination only when the government and opposition perform their expected roles .Opposition is very important for the working of a democracy as without a strong opposition ,even the democrats sometimes become despotic and authoritarian and work arbitrarily and thus the importance and role of opposition in a democracy is next to none .The INDIA alliance has done well to have decided to sit in opposition so as to come up to the expectation of the voters who have voted them to perform the role of a strong and stable opposition . INDI Alliance has chosen to sit in the opposition benches in parliament. After much speculation ,Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has announced that the INDI Alliance will present a united opposition in parliament against NDA. He stated that the bloc was not power hungry and would continue their fight against fascist BJP .However insiders have noted that the grouping believes the new Modi Sarkar is on shaky ground owing to its slippery allies .Until late last evening -6th June ,there was conjecture whether the INDI alliance ,the main opposition grouping ,would try to stake claim to government formation .This even as reports emerged that the Narendra Modi led NDA government would most likely be sworn on 8th June .However on Wednesday night ,the INDI alliance put all rumors to bed when it announced that it would sit in the opposition and make no attempts to form the government after the leaders of the bloc met at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence. We take a closure look at the factors that led the opposition to come to this decision Also what are the plans of the INDI alliance after the results have been declared .Following the declaration of the Lok Sabha results ,leaders of the INDI alliance met at the residence Congress chief Kharge in the national capital to decide the future of the grouping .This meeting came even as questions and calls emerged of them trying to stake claim to form the government .In fact Shiv sena -UBT chief on Tuesday -4th June was one of the first who had said that the alliance should claim to form the government .After the results ,the attention has now shifted to New Delhi .With the NDA moving swiftly to form government at the centre on Wednesday ,the INDIA bloc ,far short of majority numbers in Lok Sabha has decided to sit in opposition and wait for ”appropriate time” to take” appropriate steps” to” realise the people’s desire not to be ruled by the BJP’s government.’ ‘The congress led INDIA bloc, however ,believes that BJP led NDA alliance is fragile given the past track record of its two crucial partners -Janata DAL United[JDU] and Telugu Desam Party [TDP] .Over a period of time ,both the parties have sided with different political coalitions to suit their immediate interests .Among the two ,JDU supremo Nitish Kumar is infamous for his several u-terns in his political career to remain Bihar chief minister .After two hour long meeting at his residence ,Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge read out a joint statement ,” The INDIA bloc will continue fight against the fascist rule of the BJP led by Modi .We will take the appropriate steps at the appropriate time to realize the people’s desire not to be ruled by the BJP government. ”INDIA bloc also said,” The people’s mandate has given a befitting reply to the BJP and their politics of hate ,corruption and deprivation .This is a political and moral defeat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ”Reiterating what Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been saying throughout the election campaign ,the joint statement observed ”This is a mandate in defense of the constitution of India and against price rise, unemployment and crony capitalism of the Modi government, ”The constituents of the INDIA bloc also thanked the people of India for the overwhelming support received from the people across the country .The opposition INDIA bloc ,an alliance of around 27 parties ,won a total of 232 sears in the Lok Sabha elections .While the congress managed 99 seats ,SP emerged victorious on 37 seats from just 5 constituencies ‘it won in UP in 2019 polls. Likewise ,the TMC improved its last time tally to corner 29 seats in West Bengal ,and the DMK got 22 seats .In Maharashtra ,the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP got 8 seats and Uddhav Thackeray -led Shiv Sena won 9 seats .In Bihar ,the RJD trounced opposition in 4 constituencies ,while CPIM also cornered 4 seats in different states and AAP and JMM managed to win three each respectively .Almost all 27 INDIA bloc leaders were present at the meeting held at Congress president Kharge’s residence. It was a pre-decided meeting to take stock of the elections and INDIA’s performance and how to move ahead in accordance with mandate of the people.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist).
