It should be a Jayaprakash Narayan moment for India’s opposition. Widespread economic instability evokes the early 1970s, when a reclusive septuagenarian had stepped into the melee declaring ‘sampurna kranti’ (total revolution) against an all-powerful prime minister.
JP’s voice had galvanised people; the Mamata-Kejriwal front, however energetic, lacks national heft and bandwidth. Without the participation of Congress, Left or other mainstream parties, a pressure group cannot seriously threaten Narendra Modi armed with a massive mandate.
The opposition moment is shot through with disunity. The Congress will not join any movement with Kejriwal as its leader. Mulayam and Mayawati are unlikely to share a stage, however much they may dislike Modi. In fact, the politics of ‘Modi vs the rest’ suits the prime minister Read More