AA Edit | Opposition unity elusive in Jharkhand
Both the Mahayuti alliance comprising constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as well as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of the INDIA bloc have largely managed to conclude seat-sharing talks in Maharashtra to the satisfaction of most partners while also quelling the revolt raised by the rebels. They now are now entering the contest with clearly drawn battle lines. The case in Jharkhand, however, is a bit different, especially when it comes to the INDIA bloc.
While it was the Congress, the leading party of the Maharashtra alliance, which led the way in truce talks and conceded the demands of the major MVA allies hoping for a repeat of the strategy that worked in the Lok Sabha election in the Assembly elections, it was led by the principle that the size of the individual partners will increase as the pie becomes larger, even as in an election, the whole is not exactly the sum of its parts.
That logic, therefore, found no takers in Jharkhand. The INDIA bloc placated the RJD, which has a presence in several constituencies, by allocating it six seats but the deal with the Samajwadi Party fell through with the latter announcing that it will field candidates in 21 of the 81 constituencies. This is aside from the friendly fight the Congress, JMM, CPI(ML) and RJD has to fight in three.
The result of the elections in the immediate past where the INDIA bloc took on the NDA directly goes to prove that there is hope for the Opposition bloc only if the constituents can put all their votes together and that even a minor mistake can have a disastrous impact. The latest example was the Haryana election where the Congress refused to accommodate the AAP and bit the dust.
Hence the INDIA partners in Jharkhand will do well to recognise the fact that there hardly is any point blaming the machines for electoral loss since the real issue lies somewhere else.