The 26-party India alliance will be in a huddle in Mumbai for two days starting September 1 to crystallise the electoral plan to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year. The meeting is likely to name a convenor and announce the coordination committee. But all this is not going to be an easy task for the coalition.
Nitish Kumar, who took the initiative to forge opposition unity, is said to be eyeing the post of alliance convenor. But the Congress will not accept him. NCP supremo Sharad Pawar’s statement has already caused unease in the opposition coalition. Shiv Sena (UBT) has also raised concerns over the NCP chief’s ‘Ajit, our leader’ remark. At the same time, AAP convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has already announced to fight polls in various states, including Bihar, in what is being dubbed a chink in the armour of the opposition. Sources say Kejriwal is likely to have an understanding with Prashant Kishor to forge a third front in Bihar. Meanwhile, leaders of the I.N.D.I.A. alliance are confident that more parties will join the coalition.
According to sources, some opposition coalition constituents have differences among themselves over several issues. Finalising a face to lead the alliance is one such issue. While the Congress is not in a hurry, Nitish wants a leader to be announced as early as possible.
Similarly, political understanding in Uttar Pradesh is another bone of contention.
Congress wants to lead the opposition alliance in UP. But this is not acceptable to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. The SP and RLD are also unlikely to be together in the alliance. RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary has, however, denied any plan to join the NDA. Sources say Akhilesh Yadav may be fielding SP candidates in all 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP, but he will focus only on 35 seats. Akhilesh is also trying to take Mayawati on board. But the BSP supremo has already kept his distance from the India alliance.
Akhilesh might be attending the opposition’s meeting in Mumbai, but he seems reluctant to continue his association with it. Telangana CM Chandrashekar Rao’s BRS, SP, and AAP are working on a strategy to forge a separate alliance with Mayawati. AAP and SP are, in fact, seeing more benefits from fighting elections without being part of the India alliance. It will be interesting to see which new parties join the India alliance at the upcoming Mumbai meeting.
