There is consensus among Opposition leaders that the battle can be taken to the Bharatiya Janata Party in next year’s parliamentary elections if the BJP’s opponents forge a united front. But unity in the Opposition camp continues to remain elusive. Consider the noises that have been made on the matter by the chief minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, and the Congress, respectively. Mr Kumar is of the opinion that the BJP’s national tally could be reduced significantly if the Opposition joins hands. He added that he was waiting for the Congress to make a move. But the Congress seems to be thinking along different lines. It seems to be more inclined towards stitching up alliances at the state level, such as the ones that are in place in Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. A national alliance, like the one that had coalesced in 2009, could then be formed based on the outcomes of the elections.

The Congress’s calculation lays bare some of the difficulties that confront the formation of a pan-India front against the BJP. The principal obstacle is that many of the Opposition parties that would like to come together nationally continue to be bitter rivals in states. This duality — contradiction — may not go down well with the people. Moreover, the BJP is undoubtedly geared to take advantage of this: the prime minister’s quip in Tripura about the Congress and the Left being adversaries in Kerala but comrades in that northeastern state is a case in point. The Congress’s inertia also stems from its reservations about the commitment of some of the parties that claim to be anti-BJP. There is also considerable jostling within the Opposition rank and file to claim the mantle of leadership. This rivalry defies logic. The Opposition is likely to receive better political dividends if parties within the fold choose to concentrate on winning the maximum number of seats in their respective areas of influence. But herein lies an additional obstacle. The BJP has been successful in shifting the public discourse in favour of governments with brutal mandates. An alliance that is necessitated by the absence of such a majority may not be stable — given the BJP’s skill in engineering defection — or enjoy the nation’s confidence. The Opposition’s continuing struggle to give shape to the contours of a united political bloc against the BJP in 2024 is likely to dent its credibility further. It must act quickly. Time is of the essence.