Recently, at the launch of a book meant to commemorate Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s 50-year stint in electoral politics, leaders from the Congress and friendly parties gave broad hints at what they described as a larger role waiting for him. That bigger role, though not explicitly said, was obviously the prime minister's post.
The idea of Kharge emerging as the face of the Opposition’s INDIA alliance and a counter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been simmering for some time now. Though West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did take everyone by surprise at the latest INDIA meeting by suggesting Kharge as the grouping's prime ministerial face for the Lok Sabha elections, opposition circles have been abuzz with the idea for some time.
Mamata, according to sources, spoke towards the end of the meeting and she suggested that it would be good if a Dalit leader is projected as the face of the alliance in the Lok Sabha elections. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who had already spoken in the meeting, is learnt to have intervened in support of the idea. Mamata and Kejriwal have brought to the fore, and placed formally on the table the 'Kharge for PM' discussion that was earlier taking place informally.
Kharge was prompt in dismissing the suggestion at the meeting, saying the alliance's priority should be to get enough MPs to form the next government. Any discussion on who will be prime minister can happen once the alliance is in a position to form the next government, he said. He is learnt to have remarked that it would not be prudent to count the chickens before they hatched. He also categorically dismissed the idea at the media briefing that followed the meeting.
The opposition circles are discussing the possible reasons why Mamata made the suggestion. The opposition leaders wonder if the target of the move was Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who, it is believed, feels he is best suited to be the face of the alliance. Kumar is learnt to have stated in the meeting that he does not harbour any leadership ambitions. However, Mamata's suggestion is believed to have rubbed him the wrong way.
It is also being discussed if Mamata's suggestion was aimed at dealing with the scenario of the parliamentary elections being perceived by the voters as a Modi vs Rahul contest, in which Modi is perceived as having an advantage over former Congress President Rahul Gandhi.
'Kharge for PM', on the face of it, does offer the alliance a chance to play up the possibility of a Dalit occupying the prime minister's post for the first time. The Congress veteran, though, has never liked his Dalit identity being connected to his political career. He has always insisted that he does not like to play the caste card. He said so at the INDIA alliance meeting too when Mamata made the suggestion.
Congress leaders say even signalling the possibility of Kharge occupying the top post, if not an overt declaration, could help the alliance in the elections. It is felt that the Dalit vote could consolidate behind the alliance, especially in the southern states where Kharge is known better, and also add heft to its social justice plank for the elections.
