Kapil Sibal, a Rajya Sabha MP, said that it is possible for a UPA-3 government to come to power in 2024 if opposition parties have a common goal and are willing to compromise when it comes to fielding candidates to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls. Sibal suggested that instead of having a common minimum programme, opposition parties should work towards a “new vision for India.” He made these comments in an interview with PTI before a crucial meeting of opposition parties hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna on June 23.
Sibal cautioned against making sweeping statements about the potential for a UPA-3 government in 2024, as a Lok Sabha election is fought on different grounds altogether. He also stressed that the fight for 2024 is not against Prime Minister Narendra Modi but rather “against the ideology that he seeks to perpetuate.”
Sibal said that UPA-3 could be a “reality” in 2024 if opposition parties have a common goal and work with the mindset that there “needs to be a lot of give and take” when it comes to distributing tickets in states and constituencies where two or more political parties’ candidates are vying for the same seat.
Sibal noted that there may be some issues when it comes to putting up joint candidates against the BJP, but in many states, certain political parties are truly dominant, making it easier to come to an agreement. For example, the Congress is the real opposition to the BJP in many states such as Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. Similarly, in Tamil Nadu, there will not be any problems as the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have fought together many times without any real conflict. However, in Telangana, there may be a problem, and in Andhra Pradesh, it is unlikely that there would be any opposition coalition because of a possible three-way contest involving Jagan’s party (YSRCP), the Congress, and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). In Goa, there will be a direct contest between the Congress and the BJP.
