The INDIA bloc seems to be taking the challenge of seat sharing too lightly. It must quickly decide

INDIA, the 28-party rag-tag Opposition bloc forced to sit together smilingly on the national platform with the same leaders they would rather punch in their respective State fiefs, has run into another problem: All the constituent leaders cannot mutually agree on an early next date to discuss the important issue of seat sharing among themselves, which has delayed decision-making on this front. Somebody is busy in poll campaign because they need to retain their State Governments, while others are busy because of personal, religious or festival season demands. Basically, individual party agenda takes precedence over the grouping's sum total of electoral fortunes. Though INDIA, the first comprehensive experiment in Opposition unity after Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, started with much exuberance, now the reality of politics is hitting it hard. It was always seen as a challenge to keep the flock together as the parties that were ideologically different. The NDA, led by the BJP, and the UPA, led by the Congress, have been the two major political blocs on the national stage. Besides, there are numerous State-specific blocs and alliances, adding another layer of complexity. But the INDIA bloc has changed the rules of the game. It is acting on the maxim that the BJP can be defeated only through a direct fight, and for that there should be no vote division. But then each party wants to contest as many seats as possible to maximise its chances of winning. As a result, alliance partners often find themselves in a tug of war over seat allocations.

Political satraps, particularly in States with a strong regional identity, are often reluctant to cede a significant number of seats to the national parties. This is the crux of the problem with the INDIA bloc —too many regional parties or national parties with regional base, clubbed with the Congress (though currently a relatively weak party but with strong pan-India appeal and recognition), and competing for seats in the Lok Sabha elections. Deciding who contests the swing seats, which are crucial in determining the overall outcome of an election, is another contentious issue. We have seen the miserable failure of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress coming together and losing in Uttar Pradesh. Thus the parties must carefully weigh their candidate selection. The allocation of seats can lead to dissatisfaction among the alliance partners and this is perhaps the reason why the date for the next meeting of INDIA conclave has been postponed. If a party feels that it has been unfairly treated, it might contest the election independently or, worse, sabotage the entire grouping's chances. The Aam Aadmi Party is a case in point which sees itself as an alternative to the Congress, though in reality it has a long way to go. The implications of these seat-sharing arrangements are significant. If handled well, they can strengthen the unity of the political bloc and help it secure a broader voter base. However, mishandling these arrangements can lead to internal strife; it may weaken the alliance's overall chances and dismantle the alliance itself!