It was the CJP that brought the masses together and helped them join forces on social media. Its chief, Abhijeet Dipke, was able to translate that support into a ground movement as well. This helped the Opposition kickstart its campaign against the BJP, which had until then been struggling to find roots among the masses.
But at some point, both tried to pursue their own lines of campaigning without acknowledging the other. It seemed like two parallel campaigns were running on separate fronts, one political and the other non-political. However, over the past few days, both have pointedly spoken about each other.
Rahul Gandhi said at a press conference that all the protests were one. According to sources, there had been talks between the two sides and both had agreed to present a united front. Soon after, Dipke tweeted about how the BJP was trying to divide people who were attempting to unite over a particular issue, making it evident that the two sides would move forward together.
Asked about protests by the Opposition INDIA bloc to seek the CEC's resignation, Dipke on Wednesday said the CJP is an independent pressure group and will always remain so. "All the protests are for the same purpose. We are all fighting against Gyanesh Kumar's alleged rigging of the elections and the way he helped Narendra Modi remain in power." Dipke said.
"But that does not mean CJP is against the INDIA bloc. The movement of the INDIA bloc and CJP's movement are for the same cause," he noted. The Opposition-led alliance was acting to protect the country's democracy and the Constitution and had every right to do so, he added.
According to sources, several people, including Neha Bora and Prashant Bhushan, have tried to counsel the Opposition and student groups to fight together, arguing that this is a struggle against those who, in their view, have eroded the country's Constitutional values and democracy. This comes after the CJP protests were suppressed in the national capital and its leaders were arrested.
According to political observers, pressure groups do not have the network or cadre needed to sustain momentum. If the three faces of the movement—Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das—are detained, the impact of their campaign could diminish significantly. Therefore, they will need political protection, which can only be provided by the Opposition. Leaders holding Constitutional positions also carry greater weight within the system than students, who have no formal institutional standing beyond their role as a pressure group building resistance against the BJP.
According to sources, the Opposition is formulating a strategy to bring the entire Opposition, civil society groups, pressure groups and the CJP together on a common platform. The aim is to build a united front that can move forward in tandem against the BJP.
"Waving the Tricolour at Jantar Mantar in a peaceful protest is not a crime. Jailing youth for it is an act of cowardice," Rahul Gandhi wrote in a social media post. "Students. Youth. Journalists. The INDIA bloc. Different banners, one cause. All protests are one: citizens demanding their Constitutional rights. Jantar Mantar belongs to the people of India. We will reclaim it."
However, according to Opposition leaders, insecurities among a few Congress leaders had earlier led to minor face-offs between the two formations. However, they believe that there will be greater unity between the two in the coming days.
