Opposition closes in on goverment, may call for Bharat bandh

Ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, which begins on July 19, a united Opposition has vowed to bring the country to a standstill through an all-India bandh. 

The date for the Bharat Bandh is yet to be decided. A senior leader associated with the move said the bandh will be a massive one, with the slogan 'Mahangai Roko Ya Gaddi Chhoro (Either check price rise or quit power)’. 

After unity on opposition to the Budget, presented by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, this is the second time the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left Front will come together on a major political issue. 

Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav revealed this was part of an effort to bring the entire Opposition together on the issue of price rise and the proposed deregulation of petroleum prices. He has reportedly talked to BJP President Nitin Gadkari, CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, senior CPI leader A B Bardhan, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Om Prakash Chautala, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo Chandrababu Naidu, who have "agreed in principle" to the idea of holding a joint agitation on the issue. 

The real coup for the Opposition will be if leaders from the UPA alliance join the bandh. Karat is likely to speak to Mulayam Singh Yadav to persuade Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad to join in. If that happens, bitter rivals in Bihar, Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal will be on the same side. This move will have implications for an alliance between the Congress and the RJD in the state. 

The same goes for the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which has criticised the fuel price rise in strong and unequivocal terms. However, if its rival Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) is part of the Bharat bandh call, the DMK might distance itself from the move.