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| Edited By: |Source: DNA |Updated: Jul 20, 2018, 07:05 AM IST
It boggles the rational mind that even when opposition parties know that the BJP alone is numerically superior to all its political adversaries and will sail through the no-confidence motion with ease, why are they wasting Parliament’s precious time?
A coalition of sorts might have the requisite 50 MPs – the minimum number required for pushing through such a motion – but that’s missing the magical majority mark of 268 by a wide margin. On top of that is the Opposition truly undivided as it claims to be?
Well, the chinks in the armour are showing with BJD and TRS turning out to be fence-sitters. Had the anti-BJP sentiment been that strong, it would have been the glue holding disparate parties with diverse agendas together. Even if cross-voting is factored in, the number would be too small to make a difference.
Arithmetic aside, disruptions of this sort, that too in the name of democracy, won’t serve the country well. It might accrue some short-term gains for the Opposition, such as a few moments in the limelight before the 2019 grand show, but a united Opposition is still a mirage even if the Congress throws its weight behind a futile endeavour.
What’s interesting to note in this entire affair is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s eagerness to talk to his adversaries on any issue they are comfortable with. There is a clear indication from the PM that he wants to mend fences if his opponents are willing to approach him with an open mind.
The Opposition has a constructive role to play in governance, and by engaging with the PM, it can fulfil its role as the conscience of the government. All it seems to be capable of at this point is throwing a tantrum.
