Fault lines revealed in Opposition unity

Political and electoral compulsions ahead of Lok Sabha elections have once again brought to the fore the fault lines in Opposition ranks with some keeping away from Chandrababu Naidu's protest on Monday.

The Left parties - CPI(M) and CPI - stayed away from the day-long fast by the Telugu Desam Party supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister demanding special status for the state. The same is likely to repeat during another protest proposed on Wednesday against the Modi government.

While the Left stayed away from Monday's protest because of its alliance with Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena, the leadership role of Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Wednesday's protest would be a deterrent for the CPI(M) and CPI to attend.

AAP's Gopal Rai on Monday told a press conference that Banerjee, Naidu and AAP Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would provide leadership to Wednesday's protest. What effect AAP's leadership role would have on Congress is not known as the state units are at loggerheads in the national capital.

Anti-Banerjee

AAP leaders said they have extended an invite to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for the protest. The Delhi unit of the Congress is up in arms against the AAP and have so far stone-walled any attempt by the central leadership to forge an alliance with Kejriwal. AAP has also announced that it will contest alone.

Asked about participation in Wednesday's protest, the Left leaders said they “will have to see who is the organiser”, indicating aversion to share stage with Banerjee.