Priyanka Gandhi’s Varanasi rally, by all standards, set the tempo and tone of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Regional parties like the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have become wary of her popularity.
The Lakhimpur Kheri incident was a timely reminder for the opposition parties to pick up the pace of defeating Yogi Adityanath’s Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) government. The BJP is high on both, majority and muscle. I doubt if the opposition parties will be able to match the BJP’s strength and strategy.
The opposition parties end up complaining about each other. Mayawati would find faults in babua Akhilesh Yadav with whom she cobbled a shaky alliance in the run up to 2019 general elections; or for that matter, curse the Congress for all its policy and programme appeasement aimed to woo Dalit people.
Already, the (Asaduddin) Owaisi factor has but pushed the SP to the periphery, with Akhilesh Yadav trying hard to make his presence palpable. It is under this light that attempts to forge an alliance that is arithmetically sound in offering the electorate with an alternative should be made.
Leaders like Mayawati, Akhilesh and Priyanka should get together if they are bothered in taking this fight to the BJP.
Don’t forget the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), which is invisibly-visible, making pitches for the BJP to audiences—a fact which can’t be denied.
So, for all other political parties, the march to Lucknow will be fraught with contestation and challenges, but for your sincerity and dedication to the service you are in.
I believe that rather than confusing the electorate, they should create a conducive environment for consolidating their supporters, voters and enthusiasts alike; instead of blurring the lines of distinction, which may be counter-productive for their prospects.
Maybe, choosing to work with a common minimum programme in place will offer some room for rewarding and recognising the differences in opinions. Casting hobnobbing and hankering for portfolios aside, the priority should be going back to the drawing board.