For regional players, front against BJP may be tough

Efforts to forge a front of regional parties to capture power at the Centre could prove to be a non-starter. This is because about a dozen regional parties had allied with the saffron party for power.

The UPA experiment worked for 10 years because it was led by a national party (Congress).

The BSP, Trinamul Congress, BJD, JD(U), JD(S), DMK, RLD, INLD and the National Conference had shared power with the BJP either in the state or at the national level. The PDP, which had shared power with the Congress in J&K, is now sharing power with the BJP despite being out of the NDA.

The Samajwadi Party and the RJD, led by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, respectively, are getting isolated due to the growing influence of their relatives while the AAP’s opposition to the BJP is not sharp ideologically.

Bihar chief minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar is trying to occupy the anti-BJP space at the national level at a time when the SP and the RJD are failing to capture it because of the number of factors despite being in power in UP and Bihar.

On the other hand, the BSP believes in post-poll bargaining than expanding its base. The Mayawati-led party has not only failed to open its account in the current Lok Sabha, but failed to win a single seat in the Delhi Assembly elections.

Ms Mayawati and Mr Kumar became the chief ministers of UP and Bihar for the first time with the BJP’s help. In fact, after the Shiv Sena, the JD(U) perhaps had the longest association with the saffron party.

Sources said the Congress should have been the national level alternative to the BJP but its weak organisational structure, dominance of the high command and coterie culture have virtually finished regional satraps in the party, which has not been winning elections in the name of the Gandhi-Nehru family.

The UPA experiment might have checked the BJP’s march to Delhi for 10 years (2004 to 2014) but the Congress’ strategy to expand by discrediting its allies and split in Andhra Pradesh has rejuvenated and revived regional parties (TDP, TRS, YSR Congress Party).