After Surprise Election Boost, India’s Opposition Still Has Work to Do

When India’s recently elected parliament, nan Lok Sabha, convened for nan first clip connected June 22, tv screens and societal media crossed nan state were flooded pinch images of guidance leaders stepping into Parliament, a visible outpouring successful their steps, while holding up copies of nan Indian Constitution. Days later, Rahul Gandhi, caput of nan Congress party, was appointed nan leader of nan parliamentary opposition, nan first clip nan position has been officially filled during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decade successful office. Taking connected nan mantle, Gandhi delivered his first reside successful nan aforesaid aggressive, combative style that was visible passim nan caller predetermination campaign, causing Modi and his astir elder Cabinet curate to outpouring to their feet to angrily take sides their government.

This is simply a stark opposition to nan erstwhile Lok Sabha, successful which parliamentary statement was each but absent, important bills were passed wrong minutes of being tabled and guidance members were routinely suspended and moreover disqualified connected dubious grounds. Going into nan 2024 elections, which were conducted successful 7 phases betwixt April 19 and June 1, Modi’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party, aliases BJP, had done everything—including abusing its power—to stifle each governmental contestation. In precocious March, days earlier nan charismatic campaign, nan Congress statement announced that respective of its slope accounts had been frozen, while a cardinal guidance leader—Arvind Kejriwal of nan Aam Aadmi Party, aliases AAP—was jailed.

Indeed, Kejriwal’s apprehension highlighted a inclination connected show passim Modi’s first 2 position successful office, during which location was a fourfold jump successful criminal cases brought against politicians, 95 percent of whom were from nan opposition. Moreover, these cases miraculously vanished erstwhile nan concerned politicians switched parties, causing an exodus of guidance leaders to nan BJP and starring galore to jokingly mention to nan BJP arsenic a “washing machine.”