Lack of ideology exposes bankruptcy in Opposition camp: Prakash Ambedkar

A day after the Presidential poll results which saw Droupadi Murmu striking a thumping victory with 64 per cent votes, Ambedkar expressed disappointment and questioned the working style of the Opposition parties.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Ambedkar said, “From what I perceive, there is no political will among the parties to fight. Each individual or party is guarding their own interests. With such mindset how can they assert themselves in the role of Opposition?”

The great grandson of B R Ambedkar made a scathing attack against the Opposition for its shortsightedness in the Presidential polls. “The problem is there is neither any ideology nor ideas. So, how will the country get a strong Opposition? Yet, they want to occupy the Opposition space and stand against BJP. Can they fight a cadre-based party with a long-term agenda?”

“I can’t understand the logic behind Yashwant Sinha’s candidature for the Presidential polls. When it became evident that a tribal woman candidate Droupadi Murmu was in the fray, the Opposition should have taken a collective decision to support Murmu and withdraw its candidate Sinha. Afterall, it would have helped enhance its own political image and earn good will among the tribal community in the country,” Ambedkar said.

He added, “My ardent appeals to the Opposition leaders went unheeded. They went ahead to contest. They lost the polls and also an opportunity to consolidate their base amongst the tribals.”

The Presidential election made BJP emerge stronger, Ambedkar said. “Whereas, the Opposition came out as a divided front. A case in point is Trinamool Congress Party’s decision to abstain from the vice president polls. Neither voting for or against NDA’s Jagdeep Dhankar nor showing solidarity to Opposition candidate Margaret Alva,” he said.

In a scathing attack, the VBA leader said, “The problem lies in Congress. They have lost the will to fight. But they want to remain as the main Opposition party. How does one explain the Congress’ silence at a time when its chief Sonia Gandhi has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in the National Herald case?”

“There is not a single credible voice which can explain the National Herald case. As a result, whatever the BJP does or says has an appeal to the people. A handful of party workers hitting the streets and raising slogans for a couple of hours is not going to help. In any agitation, the battle is long drawn,” he explained.

According to Ambedkar, “There is a clear disconnect between Congress’s top leaders and its cadres. It was seen when P C Chidambaram was summoned and arrested by the central agencies. The Congress did not protest. Again, now, even as the ED summoned Gandhi, the party put up a half-hearted protest. If the grassroot workers are not rising to defend its high command, it shows their disillusionment with the leadership and the organisation. This is detrimental for a national party like Congress. And Congress will have to blame itself for the failure.”

On being guided by Sharad Pawar, Ambedkar said, “Instead of taking lead, it went on to be guided by the Nationalist Congress Party. It was bound to boomerang.”