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At the outset I heartily congratulate the INDIA alliance for its marvellous performance in the 2024 general elections. Truly, the citizens have saved democracy in the country from imminent destruction.
While basking in the glory of this unexpected success for a few days is well deserved and warranted, it’s imperative that the INDIA leaders don’t get carried away and develop a sense of hubris by these results.
Let’s accept that this is not as much a vote for the INDIA Alliance, as it is a vote against the overbearing Modi regime. The people have given an “Orange” light to both sides. To INDIA Alliance, “perform and get elected” and to the BJP, “restrain yourselves or be dis-elected next time”.
Also, the vote exhibits clearly that slogans, rhetoric and showmanship can carry you only so far and too much of it is eventually counterproductive. It is performance and service that primes for success more than anything else.
The electorate has thrown the opposition a lifeline, a once in a lifetime opportunity to redeem themselves and prove that it can and does offer an alternative (hopefully a better one), to the Modi regime and that there is no TINA factor in this wonderfully talented nation.
It is for INDIA to use this opportunity wisely, or waste it and lose forever. For the Nation’s sake and theirs, I hope it is the former. INDIA cannot afford to fritter the goodwill that the electorate has bestowed upon it. It’s truly a do-or-die situation.
The Challenges for the Opposition
- No ideological Glue between the Alliance members.
- No Charismatic Leader with National “presence”.
- No coherent message so far.
- Saving democracy slogan has limited purchase in the absence of a more substantial message of hope
- BJP has lost seats but not vote share. In 10 years in power it has succeeded in framing a powerful message of Hindu revivalism. The narrative has a strong emotional connection with a vast majority of our people which sees the PM as a strong leader most likely to bring back glories of a bygone age. It will be a challenge to build a convincing counter narrative
The first important thing is to keep the voters’ trust alive by staying united for the next five years, at least, setting aside giant egos and small self-serving differences and laying out a common programme of priorities. Each alliance party leader must sign a public pledge to stay united, and ensure that the pledge is redeemed till the 2029 elections at least.
These elections have shown that local issues are just as important as national ones to most of the voters. As such each one of the 234 MPs must focus on the critical issues affecting their constituents and do whatever possible, and beyond, to resolve the issues and be seen to be doing so, leading from the front and not in absentia from Delhi or the State capital. It should be mandatory for each and every MP to spend at least 75% of his time in his or her constituency and work for the people’s welfare, eschewing their own personal agenda for 5 years at least. Each of them should make a list of projects within the first 90 days that need to be executed, and a strong mechanism to monitor progress on a quarterly basis must be set up. It should be made clear to the incumbents that if the self-proposed targets are not met, they will be disqualified from the future elections. If funds collected by the parties are put to use in the constituencies for the public welfare, (in case the Centre curtails funding for opposition held areas, as is likely) the need to spend huge amounts on the next elections will reduce automatically.
The opposition parties must put maximum pressure on the Government to rebuild and revive the autonomy of the constitutional institutions like the Judiciary, EC, RBI, CBI, ED and end the stranglehold that the ruling party has on the independence of these vital institutions.
The politicisation of the Armed Forces which has unfortunately begun, must be reversed and statutes brought in to prevent any future recurrence. To the extent possible, truly independent and fearless media must be encouraged and the ability of the Government to curb press freedom must be diminished. This is where some back-channel parleys with the NDA allies, especially those who were at the receiving end till lately, can be useful to rein in the ruling party’s excesses.
The INDIA opposition should table a BILL in Parliament making it mandatory that any MP or MLA (alone or as a Group) who gets elected on a particular party’s ticket, should resign and seek a fresh mandate, if he chooses to shift his allegiance to any other political party during his 5-year term. This will prevent horse trading and illegitimately bringing down elected Governments in the States.
The INDIA alliance must not succumb to the temptation of offering freebies and doles to win the electorate. It is a race to the bottom. People are looking for an enabling environment to fulfil aspirations – and not doles.
The people have done their job and are watching. It is now for the INDIA alliance to do their job and prove that they are worthy of the trust reposed by the people in them.
I hope and pray they will step up and meet the challenge.
Jai Hind
Mukesh Malhotra
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.