The process in itself can be political, where some or all state governments under BJP rule could agree to dissolve the house and seek a fresh mandate alongside Lok Sabha polls.
An analogy about the approach of parties in Opposition is riveting in its contextual relevance. The persuasive proposition argues that politicians often believe returning to power is like retrieving the bag that whizzed past on the airport carousel. They stay sanguine that the ruling front will blunder and power, like the bag, can be reclaimed as it reappears on the belt. This misplaced notion has left many parties on the wrong side of the carousel of power.
The fear of existential threat is a high-octane propellant in politics. Since the June meeting in Patna, opposition parties have coalesced towards a consensus for survival. This week, the Modi Government amplified their fears by calling for a 5-day special session of Parliament beginning September 18 and announced a committee under former President Ram Nath Kovind to examine the possibility of holding assembly and parliament elections simultaneously.
The process in itself can be political, where some or all state governments under BJP rule could agree to dissolve the house and seek a fresh mandate alongside Lok Sabha polls. The process could be legislative, requiring amendments in Article 83(2) and 172 (1) of the Constitution besides resolving issues in uncharted territory. The institution of a panel suggests the approach could be political. The immediate cause of angst for the Opposition is triggered by speculation– as nobody knows for sure – suggesting elections could be held earlier than scheduled.
On Friday, opposition parties put on their game face and countered the one nation, one poll theme song of the ruling BJP-led NDA with a resolution to fight the forthcoming election as ‘one opposition’. The 28-member alliance, which met in Mumbai, resolved, “We, the INDIA parties, hereby resolve to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections together as far as possible.” The parties also resolved to “organise public rallies” across the country on issues and coordinate “communications, media strategies and campaigns with the theme in different languages.”
