Naidu takes full charge of anti-Modi brigade

​New Delhi: Taking full charge of the national alternative against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, here on Monday, breathed new life into the hitherto unthinkable bonding of 21 key parties just a day ahead of the winter session of Parliament and on the eve of Assembly election results of five states. 

The Opposition vowed to take the fight against Modi government to the logical conclusion and save democracy and the institutions like the CBI and the RBI reeling under the impact of government interference. RBI Governor Urjit Patel's resignation was a pointer to the dangers faced by the nation, Rahul Gandhi and Naidu later declared addressing the media.

Naidu, who has undertaken at least two trips to the capital earlier in his bid to unite the nation against the alleged misrule of Modi in a bid to save democracy, kept the telephone lines buzzing even before he landed in Delhi and ensured the presence of all the top leaders at the Opposition meet at the Parliament Annex on Monday.

After the meeting which was attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Naidu breathed fire at the NDA government whose continuous interference had forced Urjit Patel to quit as governor of RBI.  The BJP is systematically undermining all the institutions, Naidu said and felt that they were all bound by a democratic compulsion to save the country and its people. He said that at the meeting they had discussed the agitations that they want to take up both in Parliament and outside. "All of us would make a representation to President of India tomorrow on the lurking danger to the country," Naidu pointed out. 

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said that the BJP-led NDA was steeped in a quagmire of corruption and Rafael deal was a clear proof.  “The GST has made life difficult for the people across the country. The NDA did not leave any of the autonomous institutions. It had run down all the of them,” he said. From Mamata to Sharad Pawar, Ahmed Patel to Arvind Kejriwal, Stalin to Mulayam Yadav and Farooq Abdullah to Sitaram Yechury and Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, Jayant Chaudhary to Deve Gowda were eager to shake hands and decide on the course of action against the BJP. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi were there anyway along with Ajit Singh of the RLD and Kushwaha of RLSP, who quit the NDA Cabinet on Monday.

The only two notable absentees were, of course, from UP. Both Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati did not turn up. The fact that so many parties could gather, including those who do not see eye to eye on several issues, is a tribute to the leadership of Naidu who persuaded cheese and chalk to come together.

To give substance to the 'Save Democracy-Save Nation" slogan, Naidu listed out the omissions and commissions of the Narendra Modi government in the last four years that had resulted in a loss to the exchequer and brought shame to the reputation of honourable institutions. Incorporating all the charges in the form of a booklet, Naidu included the harm done to the farm sector, financial institutions, Nav Ratnas, flawed insurance policy for farm sector, Rafael scam and several others. 

Apart from listing out how he (Modi) helped economic fugitives escape, Naidu has also listed out how powers had become centralised with the PMO.The role of Gujarat cadre bureaucrats and the positions they enjoy under the current dispensation were also detailed in it. 

The handbook of Modi's misgovernance would be a powerful tool to attack him, the Opposition reportedly agreed. The thrust of the meeting was made obvious to one and all - taking on Modi together burying differences in the larger interest of the nation in the 2019 elections. 
The meeting also discussed the winter session strategy along with the issues to be jointly flagged both in and out of Parliament.

The meeting also decided to use various platforms and fora to raise the concerns to consolidate the national opinion against the BJP misrule. Attacks and Dalits and minorities, silencing of liberal voices and concerted raids on Opposition leaders also figured. 

The others who attended the meeting were Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikharjuna Kharge, Dr Manmohan Singh, A K Antony, Ashok Gehlot, Kambhampati Rammohan Rao, Y S Chowdary, Tejaswi Yadav, Manoj Jha, Kanimozhi, T R Balu, D Raja, Jose K Mani, Jiten Ram Manjhi, Babu Lal Marandi, P K Kunhalikutti, Badrudin Ajmal, K G Kenye and N K Premchandran.