Brainstorming in Congress session before 2024
The three-day full session of the Congress is starting from February 24 in Raipur. Here, in view of the next Lok Sabha elections, the Congress will clear its stand regarding opposition unity. Party leaders are saying that without the Congress no exercise of opposition unity in the country can be successful. Jairam Ramesh said that Congress is the only party which did not compromise anywhere with BJP. By saying this, he might have wanted to alienate some parties which were earlier standing with the BJP. Nitish and Uddhav can also be there in this. In the last two days, the Congress leaders have made it clear whether there should be an alliance before the elections or later, it will be discussed in the session. Congress Organization General Secretary KC Venugapol has said that this plenary session will prove to be a milestone in the direction of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Not only the common people, the solution to this question is yet to be found within the Congress as well that how to follow the path shown by Nitish Kumar? Coming back to those two formulas.
1. What was the situation in 1977
It was the post-emergency period. When the opposition leaders were released, Jana Sangh, Congress (O), Socialist Party, Bharatiya Lok Dal came together to teach Congress a lesson and Janata Party came into existence. When the Janata Party went among the public, it said that they have come together again to establish democracy in the country. Nowadays the opposition is doing some similar things. That election was fought directly by projecting ‘democracy versus dictatorship’. Vacate the throne that the public comes… slogans were also echoed at the same time. Not one, many issues came forward against the Congress. Many Congressmen had left the party. The effect was that Congress could win only 1-1 seat in the states of North India. Then Janata Party got 295 seats and Congress got 152 seats. The public removed the Congress from power and a non-Congress government was formed.
It is possible that this time also the opposition parties would like to form such a front. At that time the candidate of the opposition was Morarji Desai and all the parties were united behind him. In 2024, the parties involved in fighting against the BJP may also think of doing something like this by taking the Congress along, but experts believe that the Congress will not be ready for this.
2. The second situation is from 2004
The Congress might find the 2004 situation more favorable. BJP’s slogan of Shining India and Feelgood had failed in that election. The Congress got 145 seats and formed the government by forming the United Progressive Alliance. The support of Left Front (59), SP (35) and BSP (19) played an important role in forming the Manmohan government. Right now the Congress session is about to start in Raipur but it is understood that the Congress would like the parties to fight in the states according to their respective status and later form an alliance like the 2004 formula. Means there will be no PM candidate at the moment. It is a different thing that Congress supporters were openly seen doing Rahul Gandhi PM candidate project in the past.
Those who understand politics closely say that Congress wants to keep both the options open in this way. While stressing on the need for opposition unity, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal says that the Congress alone cannot fight the Narendra Modi government in 2024. He said that the anti-BJP vote should not be allowed to be divided and for this it is necessary for the opposition parties to come together. But the other option is that the Congress would probably wish deep inside that if its performance in 2024 is excellent, then it would be in a position to deal well with the rest of the parties. The example of the ‘strong voice’ of the Congress is being cited on the Adani issue. The Congress leader alleged that at present there is an ‘Emergency-like’ situation in the country.
Venugopal said that the Bharat Jodo Yatra has enthused the party cadre, new energy has been infused. Congress also wants to increase the representation of youth in the party. Congress is growing on the idea of half of the people below the age of 50 years. On the other hand, according to BJP, it is feeling that Congress is not in a position to challenge it in 2024. He believes that if the Congress contests the elections alone, it will not be harmed and does not see any signs of opposition unity before the elections. You must remember the taunt that PM Narendra Modi had made about re-launching from the platform of ET in the past. No, then have a look again.