In its first meeting after the five state legislative assembly elections held in April-May this year, the Opposition INDIA bloc has recommitted itself to launch a coordinated fight against the Modi government.
The landslide victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam and Bengal, and the minor inroads it has made in the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, may seem ominous for the opposition parties in India. Yet, the ruling party is facing a difficult moment in its 12-year rule today with high fuel prices, inflation and growing unemployment.
This is the governance weakness that the opposition INDIA bloc wants to leverage.
A political campaign launched by the “Cockroach Janata Party,” born out of a satirical meme on social media, attracted 22 million followers on Instagram in no time. That points to deep anger and despair with the regime, especially among the youth.
The general discontent in society is palpable; the opposition can see it. Protests over corruption in the education sector, especially the NEET (entrance exam for medical colleges) paper leak controversy, and frequent examination related failures under the National Testing Agency and the Central Board of Secondary Education, have fueled public anger.
