Centre's special Parliament session spurs INDIA leaders to finalise electoral strategy

It was the special session and its yet unstated agenda that dominated the informal talks when 63 leaders of the coalition’s 28 constituent parties met in Bombay for discussion and dinner on Thursday (August 31) evening. The convening of the special session of Parliament, within three weeks of an acrimonious monsoon session’s conclusion, has set off varied speculations on what parliamentary business the Modi government wishes to transact in such a tearing hurry.

With the possibility of Modi announcing dissolution of Parliament to call for early General Elections being actively predicted in political and media circles, the INDIA constituents agreed that they must complete the critical and complicated task of agreeing on a state-wise seat sharing arrangement for the Lok Sabha polls within the next 30 days.

Sources said, there was broad consensus at the informal talks that all subject-wise sub-committees of the INDIA coalition that are to be announced following Friday’s formal talks must conclude at least a majority chunk of their consultation process by September. This would include the discussions of the sub-group that is likely to be constituted to discuss seat-sharing arrangements across all multi-party states where the INDIA partners wish to field a consensus candidate against the BJP’s nominee. It was, however, unclear whether an announcement on the time-frame given to the sub-groups will also be made on Friday.

Choice of INDIA convenor

It is learnt that though several leaders of the alliance were initially reluctant to name an INDIA convenor in a bid to avoid ego and aspirational clashes, Thursday’s discussions ended with a near breakthrough on the subject with most key constituent parties, including the DMK, RJD, NCP and SP, expressing their in-principle willingness to accept Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in the unenviable role.

The choice of Kharge as convenor, some argued, would be the “perfect counter” to Modi and also act as a unifying force within the Opposition. The octogenarian leader does not carry the baggage of any of the taints that the Prime Minister routinely hurls at BJP’s rivals on counts of corruption and dynasty politics. Within the Opposition bloc, Kharge could prove to be the right face to project the alliance’s commitment towards social justice (the Congress president is a Dalit) and empowerment.

Both as Congress president and as Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge has carefully built a reputation of being a patient listener with a knack for resolving conflicts among colleagues while showcasing no hunger for personal ambition. These traits, several INDIA bloc leaders told The Federal, would hold Kharge in good stead if he is chosen as convenor of the INDIA group.

Equal respect for all

The INDIA partners, including the more difficult-to-please parties such as the Trinamool and the AAP, have asked that all constituent parties must be given “adequate representation” and “equal respect” in the bloc’s coordination committee and the nearly half a dozen sub-committees that are likely to be finalised at Friday’s talks. This was readily and unanimously agreed upon on Thursday evening. The sub-groups are likely to finalise the alliance’s framework on specific issues such as joint communication strategy, seat-sharing, united public outreach plans and mobilisation of funds and resources, among others.

The group’s meeting today is likely to see more substantive and nuanced discussions on not just the architecture of the INDIA coalition but also the group’s stand on some critical political and policy issues, including the need for a caste census, a renewed push for a JPC probe against the Adani Group in wake of the new OCCRP revelations, greater transparency in conduct of elections, the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, Centre’s misuse of central probe agencies and governors against political rivals, social justice and women empowerment, among others.