Year in Review | How was 2024 for India’s Opposition?

Opposition's tumultuous journey in 2024, from divided on key issues to united in state elections, analyzed concisely.

Denying the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a majority was the highlight of the Opposition this year as Prime Minister Narendra Modi got re-elected for a historic third term. Apart from this, the Opposition faced arrest of two sitting CMs, lose a state government, loss in two state elections and wins in two, original parties losing their credentials and heated Parliament sessions. 

Through the year, the Opposition was divided on Ram Temple inaugural, united on the Lok Sabha campaign with Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and divided yet again on the Rajya Sabha and state elections. The Opposition coalition – Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) rallied around Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren after their arrests in January and March respectively and backed Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray’s efforts to stake claim to their parties Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena, but fought Haryana and Jammu-Kashmir polls separately before uniting for Maharashtra and Jharkhand. 

Lately, with Congress’ increased doubts on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), several INDIA bloc members have questioned the party’s ability to lead the coalition. 

Here’s a look at the Opposition’s journey in 2024 

Kicking off a storm, the Opposition appeared split in attending the Ram Mandir temple’s ‘Pran Prathishtha’ (consecration) on January 30. With Mr. Modi presiding over the ceremony, parties like Shiv Sena (UBT), Aam Aadmi Party, some Congress leaders, expressed their wish to attend the event and grumbled at the lack of invitation. 

TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, RJD chief Lalu Yadav and CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said that they would not be attending. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi too turned down the invite, accusing BJP of making a religious event into a political campaign. Similar accusations were made by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut who said, “Now, the only thing left is that the BJP will announce that Lord Ram will be their candidate for the elections”. Several Congress leaders like Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Vikramaditya Singh, Arjun Modhwadia differed from the Congress top brass’ decision.

Kicking off the second leg of his pan-India tour, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi commenced the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur on January 14. Covering 14 states and 6300 km, the Yatra began from the strife-hit Thoubal in Manipur and ended in the country’s financial capital – Mumbai. While the Yatra boosted Mr. Gandhi and the Congress’ connect with the locals, it was marred by disapproval of several Opposition parties.