Divided they stand

The question of whether Rahul Gandhi merits being projected as India’s future Prime Minister remains contentious. To his detractors, he embodies an immature leader whose speeches often betray a troubling pride in ignorance. Yet, as the Congress’s parliamentary leader and Leader of the Opposition, he commands a constitutional position that warrants respect. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), both at the Centre and in states it governs, has weaponised authority to target political rivals-and Rahul Gandhi, as the opposition’s face, fits neatly into its crosshairs. The opposition’s grievances extend beyond personal slights. Leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc have repeatedly accused presiding officers in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha of systemic bias. Their letters highlight a disturbing pattern: inadequate time allotted for debate, disproportionate speaking opportunities for BJP members, and a blatant disregard for parliamentary decorum. When opposition voices are stifled, democracy isn’t just hijacked-it’s mocked and murdered. The BJP’s playbook is now unmistakable. In a federal democracy, opposition-ruled states face punitive measures: withheld funds, disruptive Governors, and politically motivated cases. The 2025 Delhi Assembly election reinforced the party’s “double engine” doctrine-align with the Centre or suffer the consequences. The strategy is two-pronged: starve states of resources while embroiling opposition leaders in legal battles, freezing party funds, and intimidating donors. Meanwhile, the BJP’s financial dominance grows unchecked, its coffers dwarfing those of all other national parties combined. Governors, once ceremonial figures, have been transformed into instruments of destabilization. In every non-BJP state, daily confrontations between Raj Bhavans and elected governments risk escalating into constitutional crises. Yet, the opposition’s fragmentation remains the BJP’s greatest advantage. The INDIA bloc, despite its rhetoric, is riddled with internal discord. Its failure to present a united front undermines any meaningful resistance. The deeper malaise lies in India’s political DNA-a system historically manipulated for power, irrespective of the ruling party. The Congress, now in opposition, cannot claim moral high ground; its past sins of institutional manipulation pale only in scale, not in kind, to the BJP’s current excesses. Today, every institution-from investigative agencies to constitutional offices-is staffed by loyalists, eroding their independence. If the opposition wishes to counter this authoritarian drift, mere letters won’t suffice. Unity must transcend symbolism and manifest in action. The BJP’s dominance thrives on the opposition’s disarray. Until INDIA moves beyond opportunistic alliances and crafts a cohesive vision, Indian democracy will remain a prisoner of bias-where caste, religion, and region dictate governance, and institutions serve not the Constitution, but the ruling dispensation. India’s secular parties have long exploited religion for political gain, undermining their own principles. Now, with secular nationalism discredited, the BJP’s Hindutva agenda dominates mainstream discourse. Even Congress and lower judiciary increasingly adopt pro-Hindu stances. Who will revive genuine secularism? The answer remains uncertain. Rahul Gandhi, despite leading Congress as the largest opposition party, lacks the credibility to helm the nation. The AICC’s inner circle must recognize a fundamental truth: national interest must supersede party loyalty, and party interests should outweigh personal ambitions. India deserves better leadership. There is no option, the stakes are clear: either the opposition unites in letter and spirit, or democracy continues its alarming decay.