Finding Nemo: Alternative politico-economic vision for the 'United Opposition'

The failure of the BJP to form a majority in Karnataka, unlike in Goa or Northeast, has emboldened Opposition parties to think of an anti-Modi force across India and they will showcase their strength and unity in Bengaluru when Kumaraswamy takes oath. But this entire coming together is based merely on anti-Modiism and it cannot survive the test of time when dust settles in Karnataka.                                            

The talk of alternative political alignment is in the air. Congress strategists is fast developing a template in which it will give an upper hand to regional allies in their respective states, and Congress will take the upper hand in Lok Sabha seats allocation in return. The goal is to unite the 69 per cent non-BJP voters across India, since BJP, in its best show in India in 2014, had got just 31 per cent votes, but came to power based on first-post-the-post with Opposition parties eating away into each other's electoral constituency.

With the BJP failing on most fronts and moving more towards an aggressive Hindutva, all anti-BJP forces and even some erstwhile BJP leaders and allies are scouting for alternative formations to take on BJP. Sadly, all talks on alternatives are about parties to collaborate and the top leader/s. There is hardly talk on alternative politics or politics of an alternative India vision.

What alternative options are being talked about?

Congress with its United Progressive Alliance partners are together is the first option. But a national party with just 44 MPs in Lok Sabha and ruling only 3 states, is not in any bargaining position, unless it scrapes through at least in two of MP, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh polls ahead: all of these remaining in the realm of speculations, though not impossible.

Second is the talk of federal front of Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chief Minister of West Bengal, in which she is ready to bring in every non-BJP party including Congress, if Rahul Gandhi is not the face of the combo as several other opposition leaders are there senior to Rahul and who worked with his father and grand-mother.

Third is the talk of people's front of K Chandrasekhara Rao, the Telangana Rashtra Sangh (TRS) Chief Minister of Telangana, which believes in a united Opposition alliance minus Congress, as most of these states he targets have Congress as their primary adversary locally.

So, what's wrong with these alternatives?

The fallacy in all three alternatives above is that they are party and leader combos and none a combination of ideas and alternative governance vision. They finally want to stop a larger-than-life Narendra Modi and his lieutenant Amit Shah's phenomenal election machinery. They understand that another Modi government is an end to most of their political career ahead.

A power-driven alternative based on multiple smaller, and at times conflicting identities, cannot fight another power-driven ruling force which is based on one over-arching identity, that of Hindutva.

First, an alternative force, a united Opposition, has to be one of Congress, regional and left parties, where Congress is ready to accommodate the leadership of regional parties in states and is also ready to give them acceptable roles at the Centre, ahead.

Second, an alternative has to be in substance or content and not just in form with the same content as earlier. If not, then naturally the positioning of Narendra Modi shall be, "All want Modi out, I want corruption out and development in."

Similar alternative against Indira, first succeeded, and soon failed:

As a parallel, let us see the decline and rise of Indira Gandhi. Facing a severe anti-emergency backlash led by a motley group of united Opposition forces, she bit the political dust in spite of trying to portray the 1977 general elections as "me versus they" and telling "they want Indira out, I want poverty out". Modi is and will try the same tactics this time in 2019.

The Emergency by perception and practice was far more openly anti-people, and hence, she was defeated.

But the then motley Opposition formed a party, Janata Party, which itself had left, right, centre and nowhere people together and hence broke up in less than 30 months on question of leadership, policies, benefits to various pressure groups and regions, etc. And in this very failure of the 'united' Opposition against Indira Gandhi, ironically, lies Modi's biggest hope of 2019. Without a new politico-economic vision, the current Opposition will also fail.

What is the right alternative? Agenda for a united Opposition:

First, uphold the Indian Constitution:

The alternative force is hence not just of parties, though that is a visible face. It is of an alternative world-view, of a common minimum program, and of an alternative approach to governance. For that, ‘Save Constitution’ is a good slogan for the United Opposition, start of which was done recently by Sharad Pawar of NCP in Mumbai through a joint Opposition rally.

Pledge to protect the Indian Constitution and its basic tenets. So, commit to true secularism where the state does not negate any faith but also does not become party to any faith. Neither Hindutva nor Muslim appeasement. State patronage to all religious boards must end, majority or minority. There are many today. Soft Hindutva cannot fight aggressive Hindutva as both feed on the same communal bent of mind. Hence, Congress and Mamata are both on the wrong road here. Pledge to uphold our sovereignty, and hence respect rights of other smaller neighbours, but also protect our geo-political interests

Pledge to uphold socialistic welfare economy because the marginalised people, with their per capita income far below the subsistence level, cannot survive unless supported with minimum access to food, clothing, housing, public health and minimum assured education. Pledge to protect democracy and hence leave media, entertainment, culture and education to be run not by bureaucrats but by professional experts. Polemics is good in these.

And, above all, pledge to protect legislatures by not short circuiting their sessions, and to protect the independence of judiciary by not interfering in their recruitment, postings, promotions and processes. Safeguarding democracy also needs to be through police reforms, administrative reforms, judicial reforms, and electoral reforms: all of which have been pending for long, and through an all-out implementation of the institution of the Lokpal, apart from protecting the independence of Constitutional institutions.

Second, uphold rights of all communities without any appeasement:

Second, all communities need to be assured that India is theirs, but they need not be appeased too. Hence, alternative policy and measures need to be stated for faster socio-economic assimilation of minorities through reasonable representation of all communities in jobs and education, and of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in all walks of life. Mere reservation does not ensure dignified life. If talent with the basic qualifications are not there, reserved seats go vacant for decades as is the case today. If forest rights are not given to the tribal users of minor forest produce, and land rights are not given to the tillers, there cannot be visible change in the country-side and no end to Naxalism, which survives on the backdrop of a brutal exploitation of the marginalised people. In fact, Sachhar Committee report shows the poor plight of the destitute Muslims and many other reports expose how tribals are the most exploited lot in India.

Also, social assimilation will need distinct ways and means to empower women, ensure their security in public places, raise conviction in cases of assault on women, and enhance their socio-economic participation, along with protection of gay and lesbian rights to life and sexual freedom.

Third, uphold an alternative Economic Vision for India:

Third, structural changes are needed to achieve a slew of economic measures, including viable Minimum Support Price and implementation of MS Swaminathan recommendations for agriculture, forced but gradual recovery of all NPAs (specially in cases of willing defaulters), banking autonomy with SOPs and with RBI independence ensured, recovering black money in land, jewellery and foreign assets, and encouraging start-ups and digital economy, apart from investments in education and health (with tax holidays and infra-structural support).

This plan also shall underline a fair share of funds between Centre and States, respect for federalism, and execution of truly one nation one tax system through a uniform GST bringing all services and products under it with one tax-structure like most nations which have implemented GST. Interestingly, it is important to increase investment in education and health together upto 25 per cent of the total budget, reducing routine administration and defence expenses, which are more bogies than actual. A happy people will ensure a happier nation.

The right noise started about sanitation, digital economy, entrepreneurship, mass skilling, infra-structure, public health and housing, and pollution by the Narendra Modi government, many in continuity of earlier UPA policies, needs to be taken to the next level of execution, going beyond slogans.

Finally, there has to be a development plan for each LS constituency of India with specific proposals on table in the Manifesto of the United Opposition. Political acumen of such an alternative force shall be understood if each constituency is given to that non-BJP party which has shown the best political strength in it, in the last five years, to take on BJP on an one-to-one electoral fight. Overall national leadership can be decided later based on performance of each party, though Congress will take it up naturally being the largest national party after BJP.

Fourth, win the battle of perception with a new leadership narrative:

Modi stands tall in the battle of perception. That 'There is No Alternative', as PM stands as a man of 56 inches chest against an army of political dwarfs, with no personal corruption, as against a motley group of perceived corrupt forces. The dominant perception is that of a united Hindu-led India versus a motley group of casteist and communal forces, etc. Falling into the same narrative will be suicidal for the Opposition.

The only way to combat it is to put forth a qualitatively different narrative. Like, high-handed centralising versus a federal front of many regional parties and Congress. Like, NDA sloganeering versus real action-plan on goals espoused. Like, one tall leader versus people's grassroots leaders. And there are many. Like, one religion-high castes dominant narrative versus united India approach. Like, sensitive issues to be left to an independent judiciary to judge (Ram Mandir, Adhaar, etc). Like, crony capitalism versus enterprise-led competitive economy. Like, elite governance versus consensus striving for bottoms up governance. Like, control freak approach to freedom of expression approach in media, in art and culture, and on educational campuses.

Let a collective leadership of a united Opposition, named People's Federal Alliance (PFA), evolve with a distinct Common Minimum Program and approach and take India to a more holistic sensitive people-centric development-oriented future devoid of an overdose of rhetoric and aggressive emotions. And this front should be of all non-BJP Opposition, comprising Congress, left and regional forces together, but all agreeing to the Common Minimum Program.

It has an enormous opportunity since in the best of his times, Modi has got 31 per cent of voter support, remaining being a fractured support to all Opposition together. The top leader of the party with the highest number of Lok Sabha seats can don the leadership role thereafter, which is most probable for the Congress President.

If Narendra Modi still wins with his image and programs, let democracy win and Opposition cooperate with Modi ahead.

(The author is School Head, School of Media, Pearl Academy, Delhi & Mumbai. Opinions expressed are solely his.)