Opinion: Opposition Unity - From Kanyakumari To Kashmir To Nowhere

After weeks of planning and back-room negotiations, over two dozen leaders of over a dozen political parties "from Kanyakumari to Kashmir", as they said, flew to Patna for a much-hyped opposition unity meet called by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

They talked for around four hours to come to the conclusion that they should continue talking. Even that conclusion doesn't seem unanimous. Conditions apply.

As the obvious contradictions revealed themselves, some pragmatic participants drew reassurance for themselves and their core social constituency by saying, "It is no less an achievement that we all came together to meet."

Patna was apparently too hot and humid to iron out the wrinkles and to agree enough to even join hands and raise them in unison for the customary photo-op.