Fractures in Opposition unity as Parliament sees separate protests on MPs’ suspension

However, the Opposition sought to project a united face with Congress’ suspended Lok Sabha MPs joining the relay dharna

On the last two occasions, suspension of MPs from Parliament brought the Opposition together. This time, however, when more than 20 members of Parliament from both Houses were suspended, chasm of differences within the anti-National Democratic Alliance group became apparent with separate protests on Wednesday.

Simmering tension between the Congress and Trinamool Congress was exposed on Wednesday, when Congress MPs sat in protest at the main gate of Parliament House, while Trinamool Congress and others—Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) and Communist Party of India (CPI)—started a ‘50-hour non-stop relay dharna’ near Gandhi Statue that will end on Friday.

On Tuesday, Congress MPs had sat on a dharna at Gandhi Statue.

Also read | Suspension can be revoked if Opposition MPs apologise: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi

However, as the day progressed into night, the Opposition sought to project a united face with Congress’ suspended Lok Sabha MPs joining the “50-hour-long non stop” relay dharna.

In the past three days, 20 Rajya Sabha MPs from Trinamool Congress, DMK, TRS, CPM and CPI and four Congress MPs from Lok Sabha were suspended. But there was no joint protest this time, like the ones seen during the 2020 Monsoon session and 2021 Winter session.

Interestingly, all parties—except Trinamool and the Aam Aadmi Party—joined the Congress near the Gandhi Statue before Parliament proceedings started, to protest the MPs’ suspension. Trinamool did not join the protest, even as its MPs staged a protest on price rise near the Gandhi Statue at the same time.

After Congress MPs left the spot, Trinamool’s suspended MPs started their protest who were also joined by TRS and DMK MPs. The Left MPs joined them later.

When a senior Opposition leader told a Trinamool functionary that it sent a “wrong message”, the latter retorted that they did not want to be with the Congress, which is showing one-upmanship.

However, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal told DH: “When the government is going ahead with a dictatorial attitude by suspending 24 MPs, we have to be together, and they are sending the wrong message. We have differences with the Trinamool, and they too have differences with us.

The morning protest by Opposition parties came after a meeting convened by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by 13 parties, including DMK, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party, CPM, CPI, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, National Conference, Rashtriya Lok Dal and Muslim League. At the protest, parties like Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi also joined.

Sources in the Trinamool said the party arrived at a decision on Tuesday night about the protest, but Congress’s one-upmanship was the reason for the disunity in the Opposition. They want to take credit for everything, Trinamool sources claimed.

The Mamata Banerjee-led party recently made clear its displeasure with the Congress, when it announced its decision to abstain from the Vice Presidential election after Margaret Alva was chosen as the joint Opposition candidate. Its leaders also refused to sign a memorandum prepared by the Congress to be submitted to President Droupadi Murmu protesting the alleged misuse of central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate by the Centre.

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O’Brien said: “Our stated position is that we want Opposition unity. There are like-minded parties in the Opposition as well as electoral allies. One has to understand we are not an electoral ally of the Congress so that we do whatever someone else says.”