From the Urdu Press: ‘Stage set for an aggressive Opposition’, ‘Naidu, Nitish past masters of coalition politics’

Commenting on the Lok Sabha poll results, the multi-edition Roznama Rashtriya Sahara, in its editorial on June 5, writes that the people of India have finally spoken, sending a remarkable message to the rulers of the country. While they may have signalled that the incumbent Prime Minister Modi could steer the government for the third term, their verdict is not decisively in favour of his party BJP or a single-party rule, the editorial says. “The mandate of 2024 polls is for a coalition government. Spearheading the BJP’s campaign, PM Modi had repeatedly set the target of 370 seats for the BJP and ‘400 paar’ (beyond 400) for the NDA. The election results have put paid to such claims.”

By taking over the reins at the head of the NDA government, Modi would become the second PM after Jawaharlal Nehru to retain his office for the third consecutive time, but one of the key differences between them in this regard would be the fact that Nehru had led the Congress to a landslide victory for his third term too, the daily states. Modi will have to depend critically for the survival of his government on major NDA allies like the TDP and the JD(U), it notes.

“The BJP’s biggest failure was centred on the most crucial heartland state, Uttar Pradesh, with the party riding on the Ram Temple plank suffering defeat even in the Ayodhya (Faizabad) seat. In a stunning reversal of fortunes, the BJP was bested by the Samajwadi Party (SP) across UP,” the editorial says, pointing out that the poll results indicated that the voters have grown tired of the politics of the Hindu-Muslim division. Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav proved successful in sending out their core message to the people about the country’s democracy and its Constitution being under duress and the consequent “threat” to the reservation regime, the edit says. Modi left no stone unturned to push the BJP’s expansion in West Bengal, but the party ended up losing ground there in the wake of its battle with the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC).

One of the highlights of the 2024 polls is the Congress’s comeback as a leading player in national politics, the editorial says. “After 10 years, the Congress, with just one seat short of 100, will officially get the post of the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, which reflects its revival. The party had crashed to its lowest-ever tally of 44 seats in the 2014 polls and had managed to inch up to just 52 in 2019,” the edit says, adding that the INDIA bloc has together notched up over 230 seats. “The stage is now set for the Modi government to face a robust, charged and aggressive Opposition INDIA in the coming days.”

SIASAT

Underscoring the key takeaways of the 2024 polls, the Hyderabad-based Siasat, in its leader on June 6, points out that unlike the first two terms of its government the BJP will have to lean on its NDA allies in the third term. “The BJP will have to especially bank on TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar to run the government, whose roles have become crucial in the new order at the Centre. Both Naidu and Nitish have been past masters of the coalition politics. They have vast experience of engaging with alliance governments and to secure their own interests,” the editorial says. “While there were signs of Naidu’s resurgence, Nitish was being written off ahead of the polls. They have now returned to the centre stage, with Nitish especially holding out in a remarkable fashion.”

The daily writes that their crucial role in the new NDA regime has enhanced the responsibility of both Naidu and Nitish. “Both of them have a long track record of reining in the BJP in their coalition dispensations. Naidu had been part of the NDA when Andhra Pradesh was undivided and also after its bifurcation. A situation of disquiet and despair has been prevailing in the country for ten years. It is imperative for Naidu and Nitish to take the lead in defusing it and restore normalcy,” the edit says.

The task for Naidu as well as Nitish seems to be cut out, says the editorial. “Attempts have been made to communalise every aspect of our polity, with a toxic atmosphere built up against the Muslim community. This must be curbed. In its functioning the government must transcend the Hindu-Muslim politics or mere sloganeering to address critical public issues related to development and welfare, ranging from unemployment and inflation to the need for an equitable growth,” it states.

“The TDP and JD(U) must draw a line for the BJP to see that the NDA’s governance is not subsumed by the lead player’s agenda. So they must ensure the formulation of a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for the proper operation of their coalition government,” the edit states. “Both Naidu and Nitish have been the chief ministers of their respective states for multiple terms. So, as seasoned administrators they should not allow their dominant partner to dictate terms to them, even as their focus must be always on people’s welfare and the country’s development.”