NO WAKE -UP CALL FOR THE CONGRESS

Pankaj Vohra’s views –Wake-up call for the Congress (HT 02-03-10) on the reactions of the opposition parties to the finance budget are wrong. Where is the unity among the opposition? It is all opportunistic. The unity has already withered away. Can Mulayam Singh, Lalu Prasad Yadav and BJP share a common platform and express their views against the ruling coalition. Will Yadavs accept the BJP as secular party? It is beyond the stretch of any kind of imagination. The writing on the wall is very clear for CPM. It is like Tiger census. Most of these leaders do not understand the long-term implications of the budget. They have come together since they are bereft of any real issues to fight, other than vote bank politics. The situation was different in 1977. After the emergency excesses, all opposition parties came together under JP’s leadership. The Advani’s rath yathra and Ram temple movement dramatically changed the saffron party’s fortune and in1989 the BJP led NDA came to power. Comparing those situations, to the current opportunistic move by the opposition parties, is ridiculous. The fortunes of Yadavs after the last Lok Sabha election has taken a severe beating. Going by the recent trend in the elections, young voters, who constitute nearly 70% of the total voters, are aware of this kind of opportunistic politics and are averse to see such leaders in Parliament. Hence, the chances of such parties/leaders being elected again in the 2014 elections are bleak. The brand equity of Man Mohan Singh, Pranab Mukherji, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi is strong and rising. There is no threat to Congress. There is no wake-up call.