Unity in 'Adani Adversity': Can Oppn Sing 'Hum Saath Saath Hai' Outside Parliament Too?

On the last day of the budget session, the opposition parties did everything they could to ensure they leave a mark. But the real challenge for the opposition begins now.

During the Parliament session, it was easy to maintain opposition unity, as even the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) agreed to play along with the Congress on the issue of Adani. This was also because all the opposition parties felt that this was a “people’s issue" on which it could gherao the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and accuse it of being anti-people and playing with the small savings of the middle class.

But outside Parliament, long after the session is over, can this unity exist? Tough.

POLL POSITIONS

Take, for example, the TMC, Congress and Left. While all three were seen together inside Parliament over the Adani issue, in the upcoming Tripura polls, the TMC is on one side, and the Left plus Congress on the other.

Look a little ahead. In the upcoming state polls like Rajasthan, Karnataka and MP, the AAP plans to put up a show against the Congress. The two will be at loggerheads. Over the Adani issue, the Congress wants to have a headstart as it is a topic close to Rahul Gandhi’s heart.

So the continuation of unity outside Parliament seems challenging and trite tough.

TRACTION POINT

The other big issue is that whether the Adani row can continue to gain traction. It is easy during a session as the media attention is on it. But outside, whether the Congress and other opposition parties can continue to grab eyeballs on it, remains a moot question.

More than that, an issue can become a people’s issue if the entire opposition raises it and in one voice. It is unlikely, given the track record, that opposition parties will share the stage on this issue in the future. For example, the initial unity over the Rafale issue soon petered out and it was seen only as a Congress agenda against the BJP, which other regional satraps like the TMC were not keen to take up.

In the end, the litmus test for any issue is its impact on people. Should the BJP win the upcoming state polls, even if the local issues are the decisive factor for the results, it can always say that the people rejected the opposition attacks on the PM and his government.

Plus, until now, it has been tough to paint the PM as corrupt. Hence, the opposition wanted to go out with a bang even on the last day of the budget session.

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