Opposition parties are joining hands in Bengaluru to pull the rug under the feet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at any cost. Prior to 2019, several opposition parties had put their heads together similarly and later relinquished their efforts, unable to face the Modi wave. At least five or six leaders vied with one another for the PM post, making it impossible to form a united Opposition. Several leaders who had taken part in the confabulations held then in Delhi and in the Parliament Annexe have remained aloof from the present Opposition conclave. Janata Das (S) leader Deve Gowda, who had taken part in the opposition parties’ meeting held then in Bengaluru, has kept himself aloof from the Opposition activity now.
The Congress, which had clashed with the BJP twice neck and neck, could not get even 10% of the total Lok Sabha seats. It has since been rendered toothless. It is caught in the hands of regional parties. Leaders like Nitish Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal, and Mamata Banerjee are now dictating terms to the Congress.
Now we can observe two alliances in the country. One, the Modi-led NDA, which is the strongest in the nation. The BJP is the majority party in the NDA. Going by the popularity of the BJP among the people of the nation, several regional parties are coming forward to join hands with the saffron party. Some MLAs of the Shiv Sena, NCP, revolting against their respective leaderships, are prepared to work with the BJP. The BJP would allow into its fold parties that have no objection to work with the BJP’s policies. The BJP would never allow any party to dictate terms to it and use the BJP to meet its purposes. Two, there is the alliance of the opposition parties in which one can see parties joining hands to achieve their selfish goals. The parties that have been facing identity crisis due to their corrupt practices and scams are keen to dictate terms to the Congress. The Congress is not in a position to bargain with other parties for the leadership position boldly.
The only objective of these parties is to deal a blow to Modi government in the 2024 polls. There is no difference between the present situation and the one that prevailed prior to 2019. If anything, opposition parties have become weaker. They have no agenda to take on Modi. The development that one saw in the country prior to 2014 cannot be compared with the nation’s development over the past nine years. People are aware of scams, corruption, anarchy, and violence that had taken place in the country prior to 2014. The pages of history bare how the North-Eastern states reeled under violence, how disturbances rocked J and K, Punjab, Delhi, and other states.
What ammunition does the Opposition have to criticise Modi? The opposition parties are joining hands only to perpetuate their corrupt activities and to save their skin from various cases. If this group is handed the reins of power, the country undoubtedly would go to dogs.
The whole world is observing India, how it is growing stronger as a powerful economy under Modi’s leadership. During the past nine years, Modi undertook 72 foreign trips. He struck strategic agreements with over 30 countries. Heads of nations, including that of the USA, extended warm welcome to Modi. Thousands of people waited to see Modi. Not a single foreign trip of Modi has gone waste. In almost all countries that he had toured, Modi struck crucial agreements with them.
French President Emmanuel Macron has described the joint exercises conducted by Indian and French military in connection with the Bastille Day as a testimony to the growing relationship between the two nations. He honoured PM Modi with the highest award of the France titled Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. It may be recalled that Egypt also honoured Modi recently with its highest award of The Order of the Nile. Australian PM Anthony Albanese lauded Modi in front of thousands of people and called Modi as his ‘Boss”. The US President Joe Biden remarked that he felt like seeking Modi’s autograph, going by the latter’s popularity.
French company Safran, working with the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), would develop modern and medium-range jet engines for fighter aircraft. The French government has been extending its cooperation in the development of helicopters and sub-marines. India is importing 26 Rafael fighter planes from France. Not only the US but also the France is extending modern technology in the realms of super computing, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and so on.
The United Arab Emirates tour of Modi has assumed much strategic significance, according to foreign policy experts. Modi’s recent trip has strengthened the comprehensive economic partnership between the two countries.
On the one hand, Modi is being hailed everywhere for making the country hold its head high and increasing the self-respect of India. But on the other hand, minor political parties have been grouping together to malign his image. I can only pity their efforts.
