Chinks in "Opposition unity" armour?

Despite the show of strength by opposition parties, the internal contradictions are too deep for this unity to last long

With an overwhelming majority, the Narendra Modi government had anticipated smooth sailing in the winter session of Parliament. However the Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti issue has precipitated a show of unusual Opposition unity. All of last week, Opposition parties ensured that Parliament was disrupted and no business transacted in the upper house for four days. However the so called united Opposition face that is being projected, is just that - tentative. The coming together of these parties led by the Congress is replete with internal contradictions.

While nine Opposition party leaders from the Rajya Sabha have signed a joint statement demanding a censure motion on hate speeches, their counterparts in Lok Sabha have not done anything similar. 

Within individual parties itself, problems have started cropping up, for instance within the Central and state factions of the CPM over the Parliament protests. At the behest of the West Bengal unit, the CPM pulled out of the black bands protest outside Parliament because they cannot be seen protesting alongside arch rival Trinamool Congress TMC.

Regional parties like JD(U), BSP, SP are privately maintaining that “getting Narendra  Modi to make a condemnation statement is enough”. “We can claim it as our moral victory making this government agree to our demand,” confided a senior leader.

Congress which is leading the Opposition has already admitted that they have climbed down on their demands from resignation to resolution. 

Several Opposition leaders disclosed to this reporter, that despite whatever the Congress claimed, it had infact struck a “deal” with the government to resolve the logjam. Get the PM to make a statement and everyone will be placated. “We didn’t make any such promise to give up our protest – the Congress did so they should now do some explaining,” said an exasperated Opposition leader.   

Incidentally the AIADMK and the BJD are not aligning with the Opposition and have steadfastly kept away.

It’s a cliché by now- that a weekend is a long time in politics. Whether the two day break has done anything to cool flaring tempers or on the contrary deepened the resolve of the Opposition not to surrender will be evident on the floor of the house this week.