NCP chief Sharad Pawar hosted an informal meeting of the Rashtra Manch at his residence in New Delhi on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by leaders from over a dozen political parties who are members of the political forum set up by former union minister Yashwant Sinha.
While the leaders who resigned for the Rashtra Manch meeting said it was not a meeting of anti-BJP politicians, the fact that it was held at Sharad Pawar’s residence suggests that he was entering the political waters before the Lok could test Sabha elections in 2024.
Rajdeep Sardesai, editor of India Today Consulting, spoke to Pavan Varma, former Rajya Sabha MP from JD (U), and copywriter Javed Akhtar, who attended the event as members of the political forum. Here are the excerpts:
Q. Did Sharad Pawar convene the Rashtra Manch meeting because of a likely third front outside of Congress and the BJP?
Pavan Varma: I don’t think it was a third front. The Rashtra Manch is an open discussion forum not detached from politics, but also not part of mainstream politics. The focus is on current issues and the analysis of political developments. Political parties invite members of other political parties and personalities to a discussion on these topics.
Without the participation of Congress there can be no front against the BJP, and the third front is basically unsustainable on the basis of electoral mathematics.
Q. Was the purpose of the meeting to present Sharad Pawar as a future potential kingmaker?
Pavan Verma: There should be a meeting of the Rashtra Manch. Majeed Memon of the NCP actively organized it and mentioned it to Sharad Pawar. Sharad Pawar, who was in Delhi, then chaired the meeting at his residence.
The Rashtra Manch meeting was extremely useful in discussing issues such as price hikes, unemployment, attacks on individual freedom, freedom of expression, center-state relations. The aim was to involve as many executives as possible in this discussion and to bring these issues into the political system.
Q. Is anti-modism a glue that binds opposition leaders together?
Javed Akhtar: No. There was no discussion of PM Modi or a third front.
Q. So there was no discussion about the lack of alternative leadership?
Javed Akhtar: Leadership is the top of the pyramid. Basically the ideology is about what the image of India should be, what kind of India we want to see. We should not talk about leaders but ideologies.
Q. But a political party cannot deal with the idea of India because it has to fight elections.
Pavan Verma: The ideology stems from a deep dissatisfaction of all participants, even from fear, about the current state of affairs. The point was to formulate a positive agenda that would serve to form a coherent opposition to those who continue these policies.
Q. Why did Congress not attend the meeting despite being invited?
Pavan Verma: This is a matter for Congress. Congress has officially attended in the past, and as I said, it is not possible to form a front against the BJP while Congress is being left out.
Q. Do you trust our political parties to get an idea of India?
Javed Akhtar: Civil society needs to be made aware of which India it would like to see in the future. This is an issue that is not the complete monopoly of politicians. I think every thinking Indian should have some idea of the idea of India and how he is going to achieve it.
Also read: Why so fuss about Sharad Pawar hosting the Rashtra Manch meeting?
See also: Opposition leaders arrive at the residence of NCP leader Sharad Pawar in Delhi
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