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AAP may walk out of Opposition meet if Congress fails to oppose Delhi ordinance
The Centre’s ordinance on control of bureaucrats in Delhi may cast a long shadow over Opposition meet proceedings with a possible clash between Congress, AAP.
The meeting in Patna of 18 opposition parties is one of the biggest of the kind in recent years, and is especially significant with just around nine months to the next general elections.
Yet, the conversation is unlikely to be dominated by the contour or regional arrangements and alignments or a so-called common minimum programme.
The Union government’s recent ordinance on the control of bureaucrats in Delhi is likely to cast a long shadow over proceedings with a possible clash between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, leaders attending the meeting said.
Read: ‘So, got your orders?’: Cong leader on AAP's 'threat' to walk out of oppn meet
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who wants the Opposition to unify against the ordinance may object if the Congress remains non-committal, they added on condition of anonymity. That could short-circuit the prospect of opposition unity even before it emerges.
The ordinance, promulgated by President Droupadi Murmu on May 20, was brought to negate the Supreme Court’s order that empowered the elected Delhi government led by Kejriwal to make laws and control “services” in the national capital. The ordinance set up an administrative authority comprising of CM and two bureaucrats and said all decisions can be taken by majority votes.
While many opposition parties have supported Kejriwal, the Congress, AAP’s arch rival in Delhi, Punjab and other states, has remained mum. Despite the Delhi CM asking for an appointment, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi (both of them will participate in the Opposition meeting), have not met him. On Friday, it may be difficult for them not to.
Read: Ahead of Opposition meet, some non-BJP parties hint at friction with Congress
The Congress is unlikely to support Kejriwal under pressure. The principal Opposition party, according to two senior leaders, has no obligation to take a stand on the Delhi ordinance in Patna. “The monsoon session is a month away. How can AAP force us to take a stand,” said a Congress strategist. Another leader maintained that the Patna meeting hasn’t been organized for discussing the ordinance.
A senior non-Congress leader added that the meeting is for 2024 election and not to discuss the ordinance.
The leader of another party who is one of the moving forces behind this much-anticipated meeting said that isn’t his understanding. “One of the main areas of discussion would be the federal structure and the Narendra Modi government’s unnecessary interference in the Opposition-ruled states. The Delhi ordinance issue can be discussed in this larger context.”
Read: On AAP's ordinance outreach, Cong leaders warn party off BJP's 'B-team': Report
Reacting to media reports that speculated about AAP’s walkout, AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said on Thursday: “I do not have information about the walkout plans (from the opposition meet), but our top leadership will attend the meeting and it (walkout) will be their decision. We have received information from reliable sources that the BJP and Congress have reached an agreement that the Congress will support the BJP and that when this unconstitutional ordinance is brought in the Rajya Sabha the Congress will stage a walkout. Anyway, I am unable to understand why the Congress is taking so long to take a stand on an ordinance which is clearly unconstitutional.”
Another opposition leader said that the challenge on Friday may well be to mollify Kejriwal if he threatens to walk out from the meeting. This person, who asked not to be named, said that West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who has a good equation with her Delhi counterpart, and CPIM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who maintains a regular contact with AAP, can be of help in that eventuality.
Many opposition parties are keen to come out with a declaration of intent, possibly in the form of a joint statement, “on the urgent need to restore the character of secular, democratic India and prevent the assault on the Constitution. Issues such as price rise, economic and social condition of the people and, equally importantly, federalism will be highlighted,” the opposition leader added.
Some parties attending the meeting are expected to propose common candidates in at least 400-450 seats to maximize the non-BJP votes. But others are sceptical if seat sharing — arguably the most contentious issue in the grouping in the making — can be discussed and settled in the first meeting of these parties.
“Parties with 30+ MPs (Congress, TMC, DMK) will obviously have a greater say. We will emphasize on the points on agreement and not to go with points of disagreement. Price rise, employment, interference with states, federal issues, people issues will be discussed and will form the binding glue for opposition unity,” said a senior TMC leader from Kolkata who asked not to be named.
The meeting will also decide the venue and date of the next meeting, which could likely be in Shimla or Chennai.
A section of the Opposition, however, remains sceptical about the Patna meeting. BSP chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati tweeted, “In a country suffering from inflation, poverty, unemployment, backwardness, illiteracy, ethnic hatred, religious unrest/violence etc., it is clear from the stricken condition of Bahujans that the Congress and the BJP do not have the ability to properly implement the humanistic, egalitarian Constitution of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. The issues opposition parties are now unitedly raising before the Lok Sabha general elections and in such a situation, the Patna meeting of the opposition leaders held by Mr. Nitish Kumar on June 23, gives more meaning to the saying ‘Dil Mile Na Mile Haanth Milate Rahiye’ .”
