How Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification is forging Opposition unity

Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha is turning out to be the biggest political issue in the country. Congress has launched an all-out attack against the government over Rahul Gandhi's conviction and disqualification and surprisingly, all Opposition parties have displayed a rare unity.

In the past few years, many Opposition leaders have talked about unity and challenging the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) with a formidable force, but the repeated calls for this unity were not visible on the ground with one party or another distancing itself over a range of issues. But, when Rahul Gandhi was disqualified, even those parties who openly dismiss Congress, such as the TMC, and AAP, rallied behind Congress and participated in the protests.

Opposition leaders across the country came together to condemn the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi and called it a brazen attack on democracy. The leaders are claiming it to be part of the continued suppression of Opposition by the government.

Unity amid disagreements:

After his disqualification, Rahul Gandhi made some remarks against Savarkar which irked the Opposition parties in Maharashtra and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray even warned that such statements can bring cracks in the unity. But, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut cleared the air and affirmed his attendance in the Opposition meeting on Wednesday.

Also Read: Maharashtra political parties find common ground after Rahul Gandhi's 'not Savarkar' jibe

Congress is also reportedly trying to use Rahul Gandhi's disqualification to its advantage and avoid any actions which can weaken this unity. When senior Congress leader Manish Tewari suggested a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, Congress decided to consult it with other parties and is in no mood to make a move in haste.

Another example of growing opposition unity denotes the recent action by 14 parties, that moved the Supreme Court against the alleged “misuse” of central agencies against the Opposition leaders. 

“They are saying democracy is in peril… We are not trying to affect the existing investigations, but 95% of cases are against Opposition leaders. We are asking for pre-arrest guidelines and post-arrest guidelines,” Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted in the Supreme Court.

The BJP and even PM Modi seemed to have acknowledged this renewed unity among the Opposition ranks. On Tuesday, PM Modi attacked the Opposition parties and said that "some parties have launched 'bhrashtachari bachao abhiyan' (save corrupt campaign)."

Read More: 'Bhrashtachari Bachao Abhiyan': PM Modi takes jibe at Oppn parties