Opposition unity got weakened due to the BJP’s attempts to embarrass the Left and the non-NDA parties ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament commencing from July 26.
The non-UPA parties made the Bharat Bandh successful on July 5 despite that the bandh call was given seperately by the NDA and the Marxists. The NDA convenor Sharad Yadav had involved the parties like AIADMK, BJD, Samajwadi Party, TDP, INLD and the Janata Dal (S) in it although they are not part of either the NDA nor the Marxists-led front . They had joined the bandh to raise the voice of people against over-all price rise.
According to sources, the BJP was not even ready for the July 5 bandh because of its internal problems but finally agreed to the joint action against the Manmohan Singh governemnt. The BSP led by Mayawati had, however, distanced itself from the joint action.
Now, the Opposition unity appears to have received a set back by the writings of the NDA’s working chairman Mr L.K. Advani on his blog in which he has not only disclosed meetings with the Left leaders alognwith their comments. He has also pointed out how the Left have been part of the anti-Congress Opposition and so have coordinated their activities with other opposition parties including the Jana Sangh/BJP.
“His writings are dividing the Oppoition unity inside and outside Parliament ,” viewed the NDA insiders observing that Mr Advani’s writings are helping the Congress party to create division among the Opposition.
In the Budget Session, the Samajwadi Party and the RJD had walked out of the Lok Sabha ahead of the voting on cut motions while the BSP had voted against it. All the three parties were against the governemnt on the price rise but how can they ally with the BJP floor, they asked.
The BJP and its allies in the NDA are divided on key issues like the Women’s Reservation Bill, caste-based census, they said.
The BJP is backing the government on the issue of checking the Maoists but the Congress leaders are speaking in different voices on how to tackle this issue as Moists actvities have spread about half a dozen states.
Meanwhile, the Opposition plans to raise the fuel price hike issue under rule 184 in the Lok Sabha on July 27.