SLIDING FRICTION

Local differences loom large over opposition's quest for national unity

- SONI MISHRA

A month is a long time in politics. As the gathering of opposition parties travels to Bengaluru for their second meeting to discuss a joint fight in the Lok Sabha elections, a lot has changed since their first meeting in Patna. Though 15 opposition leaders had signed off on a positive note in the Bihar capital, there have been some major developments that are expected to cast a shadow on the proceedings as they meet in the garden city.

When the leaders meet in Bengaluru on July 17 and 18 to take forward their discussions, the elephant in the room will be the sudden turn of events in Maharashtra, where the opposition alliance has been dealt a major blow by the switching over of NCP leader Ajit Pawar along with a bunch of legislators to the ruling side.

To begin with, there are now doubts about how much Sharad Pawar will be able to dedicate himself to tighten the nuts and bolts of the opposition unity efforts when he is scrambling to salvage his hold over his own party. A senior Congress leader said the signs were there for everyone to see of what was to happen in Maharashtra, and, perhaps, the Patna meeting only hastened the turn of events.