Unity in diversity
THE WEEK India|July 30, 2023
The process of naming the opposition alliance reflected the keenness of the parties to come across as a united force despite inherent differences
SONI MISHRA
Unity in diversity

INDIA, THE NEW name for the opposition alliance, has got widespread coverage on the news already. But, the inside story of how the leaders of 26 opposition parties who gathered in Bengaluru for a two-day meeting arrived at the name Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance is a study in the dynamics of the varied outfits and the efforts underway to get over their differences, or, at least get the optics right.

It is learnt that the name was originally the idea of former Congress president Rahul Gandhi. According to sources, on the evening of July 17, at the dinner hosted by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for opposition leaders attending the conclave, Rahul told a senior party leader that he was keen on the name INDIA, but he wanted West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee to suggest the name at the meeting the next day.

For Rahul to route the name through Mamata was an extremely interesting decision. The Congress state unit is up in arms againsT the Trinamool in West Bengal, especially with regard to the violence that took place during the recent panchayat elections. Mamata and Rahul have not had a particularly cordial relationship in the past. However, during the opposition meeting in Patna, Mamata helped calm down matters when the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party got into an altercation over the Centre’s ordinance on Delhi’s bureaucracy. This gesture was appreciated by Rahul. Mamata suggesting the name was also perhaps intended to convey the impression that the leaders were keen to rise over differences.

Bu hikaye THE WEEK India dergisinin July 30, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye THE WEEK India dergisinin July 30, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

THE WEEK INDIA DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
THE WEEK India

What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?

IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.

time-read
5 dak  |
December 08, 2024
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
THE WEEK India

Trump and the crisis of liberalism

Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.

time-read
2 dak  |
December 08, 2024
Men eye the woman's purse
THE WEEK India

Men eye the woman's purse

A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.

time-read
2 dak  |
December 08, 2024
When trees hold hands
THE WEEK India

When trees hold hands

A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges

time-read
3 dak  |
December 08, 2024
Ms Gee & Gen Z
THE WEEK India

Ms Gee & Gen Z

The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing

time-read
5 dak  |
December 08, 2024
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
THE WEEK India

Vikram Seth-a suitable man

Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.

time-read
2 dak  |
December 08, 2024
Superman bites the dust
THE WEEK India

Superman bites the dust

When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.

time-read
3 dak  |
December 08, 2024
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
THE WEEK India

OLD MAN AND THE SEA

Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port

time-read
4 dak  |
December 08, 2024
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE WEEK India

Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets

THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.

time-read
3 dak  |
December 08, 2024
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
THE WEEK India

Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay

AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.

time-read
2 dak  |
December 08, 2024