However, the million-dollar question is whether the unity move will sustain until 2024

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has begun new efforts to unite the opposition. She did so in 2004 and formed a coalition government (UPA) fighting against mighty Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee when she was considered almost a novice in politics. She did so when the BJP was on a high with its ‘India shining’ campaign.

The idea of building an opposition coalition is not new.  The country has seen coalitions like the Janata Party (1977), National Front (1989), United Front (1996- 1998) and NDA whenever the voters were dissatisfied with the government. After defeating Vajpayee, she again surprised everyone by nominating Dr. Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister, who led the country for ten years until 2014.

Sonia realized that Congress had become too weak to take on the Vajpayee led-NDA on its own. She, therefore, cobbled up an alliance of secular parties to take on the BJP led NDA in the 2004 elections.

Before that, in the Shimla conclave, Sonia Gandhi successfully prepared the party for a coalition. It was not easy to convince regional satraps like the Yadavs and the Paswans to come under the Congress umbrella. They grew up in an anti-Congress atmosphere in their career.

The situation is different now.  Congress is no match for BJP. While Sonia remained party president for 19 years, she also passed on the baton to her son Rahul Gandhi. However, since 2014, she has taken a back seat. Neither the mother nor the son has paid attention to organizational reforms.

The demoralized opposition has been trying to take on BJP but it is divided.  Regional leaders like Sharad Pawar and Mamata Banerjee have tried their hands. Still, none of them took off because Congress remained disinterested.  However, last week, Sonia took the initiative to organize a virtual meeting of leaders of 19 opposition parties, including several non-BJP chief ministers. Those who participated include NCP’s Sharad Pawar, TMC’s Mamata Banerjee, Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray, and DMK’s M K Stalin. The absentees were Aam Aadmi Party, Biju Janata Dal, Telugu Desam Party, YSR Congress, and Telangana Rashtra Samiti. All these parties have kept equidistant from both Congress and BJP.

Sonia’s cryptic speech was full of optimism and pep talk. She emphasized that “we all have our compulsions, but clearly, a time has come when the interests of our nation demand that we rise above them.” She assured that “the Congress will not be found wanting while working towards this goal, to reaffirm our individual and collective resolve”. Sonia maintained that the ultimate goal is to uproot the BJP Government in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting announced an 11-point common agenda, unlike earlier efforts. The plan covers various issues, including speeding up mass vaccination; free food kits for the poor; reduction in fuel and cooking oil prices; repeal of the three controversial farm laws; job guarantee for 200 days under MGNREGA with doubling of wages, early reopening of educational institutions and a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the use of Pegasus spyware for surveillance.

The prophets of doom are already predicting that the current unity move will be a non -starter as it is a heterogeneous coalition packed with egoistic regional satraps. One of the biggest challenges for such a Front will be the leadership question.  Sonia is ok with the senior leaders but not Rahul Gandhi

 With age not on her side and her health issues, Sonia will have too much on her plate.  In 2004 she could do it because she was younger and had good advisers. Now the old guard has almost disappeared.

The second challenge will be to get those remaining opposition parties like the BJD, TRS, and YSR Congress into the coalition. 

Before all that, the opposition parties have to keep their flock together. Congress needs a new plan, new leadership, new narrative, and dedication. The group of 23 rebel leaders in Congress is convinced that the first priority is strengthening the party.  For this, the party should be enthused, and the continuous erosion needs to be checked. Rahul Gandhi promoted many young leaders who have left the party, like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada, and Sushmita Dev. The BJP is welcoming them with open arms.

The fourth is sustaining the opposition unity until 2024. It is indeed a welcome move that a weakened opposition is coming together to take on the Modi Government. Still, the million-dollar question is whether the unity move will sustain until 2024.  The upcoming Assembly elections next year will be a sure indicator.

(The writer is a senior journalist. The views expressed are personal.)