We have all read the story about that fabled old man in a village who, on his deathbed, summoned his sons engaged in a dispute. We know how the warring sons realised their folly after failing to break a bunch of sticks and decided to present a “united front”. Now, there are two serious issues with this fable in contemporary times: the old man would summon his sons and daughters. Second, and more important, is the question of what happens to the squabbling sons and daughters if the old man passed away without imparting this life lesson.
That seems to be the state of affairs today as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) victory in four states – all-pro incumbency verdicts – has triggered furious speculation and dozens of questions on the ability of the opposition parties to present a credible “united front” to the voters against a formidable BJP, led by an even more formidable Narendra Modi.
The first question to ask is: are the myriad opposition parties and personalities really interested in actually forging a combined opposition force? Many doubt whether that’s so.