Last year in May, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, while addressing a public rally, was calling for a “Sangh-Mukt Bharat”. The JD(U) chief now sings a different tune. That is partly because he was one of the few smart leaders left in the Opposition who could sense which way the wind is blowing, and indubitably, 2019 has Modi writ all over it.
In a show of political acuity, Nitish divorced the RJD and is currently content playing the role of a courtier in Modi’s coterie. In an interaction with reporters, Nitish said that PM Modi’s re-election is inevitable in 2019 and that none in the Opposition can boast of a capability to take on the might of Modi.
This might be music for BJP’s ears, and coming from an erstwhile contender like Nitish, only adds to the credibility of Modi’s pan-India appeal. The strong duo of Modi and Shah are tightening the hold of BJP in states across India. PM Modi’s home state of Gujarat is due for elections in the last two months of this year.
Those who understand the lay of the land in Gujarat opine that there is little doubt on whether BJP — a party that has been ruling the state for the last 22 years — will win or not. The real challenge is whether the party will be able to secure the lofty target of 150 seats in the Gujarat assembly.
Whether it succeeds or fails in winning in 150 seats is anyone’s guess, but their spirited attitude speaks volumes about the party morale. Meanwhile, the Congress is battling in-fighting and attempting to save face after the unceremonious exit of Shankar Singh Vaghela. By the looks of it, the BJP has forced the Congress to resort to desperate measures just to help secure a Rajya Sabha seat for Ahmed Patel, the political secretary of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Worryingly, the Opposition seems virtually vanquished in the country. Rahul Gandhi hasn’t risen to the occasion in the past, and even within the Congress, many fear that he does not have what’s required to don the mantle of the leader of the Opposition. Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav squandered the mandate that was handed to them, and neither of them has a hold that goes beyond UP.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is embroiled in so many court cases that he hardly finds time to do his job. Only West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee still has the gumption of holding on against the Modi tsunami. Unipolarity is not an ideal situation in a democracy.
The framers of the Constitution have provided for a governmental architecture which allows for multiple voices and diverse opinions. But that just got hit by Nitish’s exit from the Opposition fold.
