Opinion: Signs That INDIA Has Rattled NDA

Finally, the war has begun. The two armies are ready. One has 26 parties and the other has 38. One is called INDIA and the other is NDA. One led by a collective leadership and the other, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. INDIA claims it wants to reclaim lost democracy and constitutionalism and India. 

The BJP, which leads the NDA, has launched a barrage of accusations against the opposition, painting them as corrupt, dynasts and opportunists. In the war of words,  what is certain is that the battle for 2024 is no longer one-sided and that Modi can't claim a walkover as he had in the two previous elections.

There were several sceptics, even in the Left-liberal fold, who were not sure about opposition leaders ever coming together under the same umbrella, with big egos clashing, the difference of ideologies and political opportunism. But the smoothness with which they came together and created INDIA, the acronym representing a new political force to take Modi head-on, has surprised many. A few months ago, even leaders in the anti-Modi camp were unsure of any such alliance working out, given the political disparateness. There was a sense of hopelessness and despondency despite their common view that unless they joined forces, Modi and the BJP could not be defeated.