The first test of opposition unity will be on Monday when the Bharat Jodo Yatra will conclude in Srinagar, where the Congress has invited at least 24 political parties to join the hoisting of the national flag. So far many of them have either skipped the yatra altogether, or distanced themselves from it.
The second test will be in the budget session of Parliament. Will the Congress be able to lead the charge of the Opposition, which has so much ammunition to fire at the government, or will they collectively flounder as a result of the disunity within them.
The Congress has made a long list of issues to corner the government with — from the Chinese presence on the LAC to inflation, rising national debt and unemployment, and the damaging Hidenburg report — but on many of these issues, the other political parties are silent.
The JD(U) has sent a letter to the Congress’s Mallikarjun Kharge that they are unable to attend as there is no clarity on the SP, BSP as SP leader Akhilesh Yadav chose to skip the BJY and join the BRS rally of the Telangana Chief Minister recently.