Rahul Gandhi gets MK Stalin’s vote but unless opposition speaks in one voice BJP still has the upper hand

DMK president MK Stalin has sprung a surprise by proposing Congress president Rahul Gandhi as a prime ministerial candidate. It is a southern shot in the arm for Congress, which is on an upswing since last week’s victory in three north Indian states. With 39 seats in the Lok Sabha, DMK which is expected to benefit from anti-incumbency against the ruling AIADMK government and will be an important player in the opposition in 2019.

However, Stalin’s unilateral pronouncement also revealed the chinks in the opposition’s armour. It is one thing for Stalin whose DMK has been allied with Congress since 2004 to elevate Rahul. Other leading lights in the opposition like Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati remain chary of associating with Congress because their own prime ministerial ambitions are hardly concealed.

With decades in politics, it is natural that Mamata and Mayawati see themselves as better candidates for their job given their experience in government, which remains a big lacuna in Rahul’s resume after fiddling with various party roles during the ten years of UPA-1 and 2.

Both leaders are unlikely to throw in the towel without a fight, but their claims are weakened by the limited appeal of their parties. HD Deve Gowda and IK Gujral benefited from Congress’s unwillingness to form governments in 1996 and 1997 without having a simple majority. But since 2004 Congress has been willing to lead coalition governments. Bringing together the opposition will prove harder than expected in 2019 and this will allow BJP to sell to voters an appealing argument for a strong and stable government.

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