FEELING LOST IN I.N.D.I.A.

The implosion in the Opposition alliance has turned into some cynicism among voters but they are also unhappy at the ruling BJP's bid to browbeat rivals

- KAUSHIK DEKA

When leaders of more than two dozen Opposition parties met in Bengaluru on July 17-18 last year to discuss the structure and narrative of a national alliance, the bonhomie between two leaders caught everyone's attention. If the Congress party came up with the politically sharp acronym I.N.D.I.A. (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance), its leader Rahul Gandhi insisted that West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee propose the name at the meeting. In response, she called Rahul "our favourite", a sharp departure from her veiled criticism of his leadership in the past.

Cut to February 2024 and the "favourite" has turned into everyone's dart board. After announcing that her party will contest the Lok Sabha polls on its own without any seat-sharing agreement with the Congress and Left parties, Mamata launched a no-holds-barred attack on Rahul. She challenged the Congress to take on the BJP in the Hindi heartland states and expressed doubt in its ability to secure "even 40 seats" in the coming Lok Sabha election. Then she took potshots at Rahul's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which traversed through six districts of Bengal, calling it a "photo opportunity" for "migratory birds".