The last two days of August, when the RBI gave out how much of banned currency returned to banks and the release of less than expected GDP figures, have given the Congress party new a fighting spirit against the Modi government.
Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram chose a cricketing example to underscore this political point. “Bangladesh defeats Australia, West Indies defeats England. Lesson: nothing is impossible,” Mr. Chidamabaram tweeted on Thursday.
He did not elaborate on his tweet, but many in the Congress seem to believe it is time for the party to go on the offensive under Rahul Gandhi’s stewardship.
The Congress’s organisational elections for block-level delegates end by September 15. The delegates will, in turn, elect the Congress president. A section of the party want Mr. Gandhi to take over soon after, though Ms. Sonia Gandhi’s tenure ends only in December.
Senior leaders, however, are cautious about articulating their position on the leadership question.
Former Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari told The Hindu that “the current division of labour” worked for the party. “The country needs sagacity and energy in equal measure,” he said.
Mr. Tewari said the RBI’s figures on the note ban and the poor growth figures were an opportunity for the Opposition, but it should first “get its act together in terms of organisation and leadership”. “After the demonetisation numbers put out by the RBI, growth plummeted to 3.7% at 2004-05 base prices. The distress on the ground is now bubbling up in terms of governmental statistics,” Mr. Tewari said.
He added, “This country is looking for that lightning rod that can crystallise the anger and launch a nationwide movement to show the BJP the door in 2019.”
Soon after the Monsoon Session of Parliament, the Congress president had convened a meeting of all Opposition parties to chalk out a joint strategy that could effectively take on the Modi government even outside Parliament. But not much has happened on the ground.
Cracks in Opposition unity were clearly visible at the August 27 Patna rally called by RJD leader Lalu Prasad.
Disunity prevails
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury skipped the rally because West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended it. Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati did not attend since Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party was present. The Congress, too, was represented by Ghulam Nabi Azad and C.P. Joshi, and not the Gandhis.
“Who is going to be the Opposition’s face can be decided 10 months later. After all, Narendra Modi was declared the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate only in 2013,” Mr. Tewari said.
