A United Opposition, a Resurgent Rahul: The Message From Ramlila Maidan

Gyanesh Kumar as the CEC and the Opposition’s accusation of 'vote chori' cannot go hand in hand, writes Ashutosh.

If the government continues with Gyanesh Kumar, then the Opposition has to decide whether it should participate in the election or not.

(Photo: Modified by Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

It would be incorrect to say that the government is not worried after the Opposition's massive show of strength at Ramlila Maidan. It can be safely argued that today, the Modi government, along with the Sangh Parivar, is under tremendous pressure—and they must be exploring how to wriggle out of this crisis. This argument is substantiated by the fact that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a padyatra by its senior leaders including Amit Shah and party president, Nitin Nabin.

I have never seen a ruling party resorting to protests and demonstrations to counter the Opposition. This itself is proof that the government is mightily disturbed. 

This is the government that has had a free run since 2014. It was routinely said that no other government has been faced with such a poor Opposition. The Congress was in shambles, fighting for its existence. Other regional outfits were either compromised by the brazen use of government agencies—or they had no guts to stand up to the might of the ruling regime.

Many Opposition parties decided to be on the right side of the BJP for their own survival, and those who decided to fight the BJP were either reduced to being non-entity by Operation Lotus or were split in many parts. 

The Opposition's Pivot

Even Rahul Gandhi was not spared. His image was badly tarnished by the government and its media allies. It was unfashionable to be associated with him. Nobody was willing to stick their neck out to write a few good things about him. The only qualification granted to him, was that he belonged to Nehru-Gandhi family.

But today, the same Rahul Gandhi has acquired a pole position in the Opposition camp and has emerged as a serious—rather a dangerous—challenger to the Prime Minister. This is nothing less than a miracle.

Today, he's a beacon of hope for all those who are troubled by the thought that India's democracy is sliding fast to become an authoritarian regime—and there are serious threats to the Constitution. Now, even Rahul Gandhi’s critics say that he is the only leader asking tough questions to the Prime Minister and seeking accountability from the regime.

The Modi government is extremely disturbed because it does not know how to handle him. He is so unafraid that others are greatly inspired. The party that was dormant for decades has suddenly discovered a spring in its heels. Congress workers have, after ages, discovered a leader who is not scared to fight policemen and who jumps over police barricades. He is no longer an armchair politician.

It is this courage of conviction that has made Opposition leaders, who in the past were unwilling to take Rahul Gandhi seriously, turn into his fans and meekly accept him as the Leader of the Opposition. 

A United Opposition

At Ramlila Maidan, the entire country saw a united Opposition. All those leaders, be it Mamata Banerjee or Akhilesh Yadav, who earlier had low opinions about Rahul Gandhi, and his capabilities, were happy to play second fiddle to him. This is no mean achievement for the Congress and Rahul Gandhi—he is today is the fulcrum of Opposition unity.

I know it will be wrong to peep into the future and predict doom for the Modi government in 2029, but one thing is certain, the BJP will not have a smooth sailing in the next elections. The world has changed since 2024—and a lot of water has flowed in the Ganga and Yamuna. 

In 2024, there were apprehensions about the electoral process and question marks about the Election Commission (EC)'s independence, but now it is openly said that entire electoral process has been manipulated with the help of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). Now, every Opposition leader is convinced that election is no longer free and fair. The Indian Express report has decisively turned the tables—and CEC Gyanesh Kumar is today a villain in the eyes of the large section of society.

Now the moot point is how long the government will defend Gyanesh Kumar? Because every day spent by Gyanesh Kumar in Nirvachan Sadan is directly proportional to the loss of the credibility of the government. The longer the government shields him, the more delegitimised it gets.

The Gyanesh Kumar Dilemma

The government is caught in a web. If it decides to get rid of Gyanesh Kumar, then it will open the window for the Opposition to directly attack the Prime Minister. Till now the CEC is the target, the attack on the government is collateral, but if he goes, then PM Modi will not be safe. Rahul Gandhi has already said that PM Modi and Amit Shah's role would also be investigated if the Opposition were to come to power.

If Gyanesh Kumar continues in office, doubt about the election's credibility will deepen in people's minds, which will further strengthen the Opposition's argument that a nexus exists between the two. So, sooner or later, the government has to find a way to get out of the problem, it has to decide. This can’t go on for long. It is politically damaging the reputation of the government and the BJP.

The Opposition should also be prepared to take a tough call. If the government continues with Gyanesh Kumar, then the Opposition has to decide whether it should participate in the election or not. If the Opposition opts for elections despite Gyanesh Kumar being at the helm in the EC, then it will face a ridiculous situation.

Their entire campaign around vote chori will lose its steam—and they will be liable for an accusation that they tarnished the reputation of a constitutional institution for political benefit.

The continuance of Gyanesh Kumar in the EC and the Opposition’s accusation of vote chori cannot go hand in hand. It’s not an easy decision, but it has to be made.

Assembly elections in five states are round the corner. The Supreme Court is hearing different petitions regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the functioning of the EC. You never know if a solution might emerge through the higher judiciary. In the days ahead, the country might witness dramatic events.

India is at the crossroads, and history is being made.

(The writer is an author, columnist, co-founder of satyahindi.com and former spokesperson of AAP. He tweets at @ashutosh83B.This is an opinion piece and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)