Mamata says ‘there is no UPA’: What the Oppn challenge to BJP could look like, and Congress’s role in it

Banerjee’s stress on “regional parties” is interesting as it indicates that she believes the Congress is not in a position to challenge the BJP, and a coalition led by the grand old party too does not stand a chance. So, she believes a collective of regional forces – call it third front or by any other name – is the best alternative to mount a challenge to the BJP.

The Congress may or may not be a part of it.

So, what about the UPA, a coalition led by the Congress? “What is UPA? There is no UPA,” Banerjee said. She is in a way challenging the Congress’s traditional role as the anti-BJP fulcrum.

In a way, she is right. The UPA as it existed between 2004 and 2014 is no longer there. In fact, Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress too was part of the UPA government in its second term. The TMC pulled out of the UPA and withdrew support to the Manmohan Singh government in 2012.

The UPA came into existence in 2004. It successfully ran a government for a decade, but the coalition has been dormant since 2014. It has not met in a long time. Apart from the DMK, the NCP and the JMM, the Congress’s relations with the erstwhile UPA constituents are strained now.

The LJP switched sides in 2014. The RLD is no longer a part of the UPA. Congress-RJD ties have come under strain after the latter decided to field its candidates in the two seats where Assembly bye-elections were held recently.

The DMK had also walked out of the UPA in 2013, but is back as an ally of the Congress. In fact, M Karunanidhi played a role in naming the alliance UPA. The options had been united or progressive secular alliance. But Karunanidhi, an atheist throughout his life, told Sonia Gandhi that in Tamil, the word secular means non-religious. He then suggested progressive alliance.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has not convened a UPA meeting for long. She has, on the other hand, convened a meeting of all like-minded Opposition parties, a UPA plus, in August. Banerjee had attended that meeting. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi too had a breakfast meeting with Opposition leaders in August.

By asserting there is no UPA, Banerjee is perhaps suggesting that it is time for a new grouping, a one in which the Congress cannot be an automatic leader. That is why the stress on regional parties.

And in this, Sharad Pawar and Banerjee seem to be on the same page.

Sources in the NCP had long been saying that Pawar is increasingly becoming impatient with the Congress for not providing the leadership required for the Opposition camp. Some of his party leaders say Pawar was of the view that regional parties could give a tough fight to BJP and that the Congress can decide whether it wants to be a part of the grouping. In other words, the Congress’s role as the leader of the Opposition camp is not a given.

There had been speculation that Pawar could initiate the realignment of regional forces against the BJP. And today, Pawar too hinted at some possibilities. After his meeting with Banerjee, he said the Opposition parties have to provide a strong alternative.

When asked if Congress would be a part of this strong alternative, Sharad Pawar said: “All those opposed to the BJP are welcome to join us. There is no question of excluding anyone.”