Sena, Cong claim oppn show of strength gives PM the "shivers"; Jaitley, Rajanth say oppn fears Modi's popularity

The opposition's show of unity last week sparked a fresh war of words on Monday with BJP's estranged ally Shiv Sena and opposition Congress claiming it has given Prime Minister Narendra Modi the "shivers" ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Hitting back, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Home Minister Rajnath Singh said it is only the "fear" of Modi's popularity and a "certain comeback" and BJP's successes that is bringing multiple disparate forces to come together against the prime minister.

Jaitley said any opposition grouping will be an "unviable and an unworkable" short-lived combination and asked, "Is it Modi vs Chaos? 

In a Facebook post titled 'Agenda for 2019 - Modi Vs Chaos', he also said it will be advantage BJP in the general elections as an aspirational society will not commit a "collective suicide" by voting for a short-lived political alliance.

Echoining Jaitley's views, Rajnath Singh said it was the fear of BJP's successes that made the opposition parties come together.

"They (mahagathbandhan parties) are afraid that BJP will form government again..," Singh told reporters in Greater Noida.

The Shiv Sena and the Congress targeted Modi for ridiculing the opposition's show of unity.

The Sena said recently the prime minister gave a speech while boarding a tank (at L&T's gun-making facility in Gujarat). "Why did he (then) get shivers from the coming together of 22 opposition parties?," it wondered.

Modi Sunday dismissed the "mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) of opposition parties, alleging it was an alliance of "corruption, negativity and instability" and one created by those affected by his fight against graft.

Reacting to Jaitley's remarks, the Trinamool Congress(TMC) said the mega opposition rally called by its chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata last Saturday has shaken the "very base" of the BJP-led government at the Centre.

"For the last two days (since Saturday) be it the prime minister or other central ministers everybody is talking about this rally. Though Mamata Banerjee is not in the government at the Centre, she seems to be in it. That is why despite being sick Jaitleyji is making such comments," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said in Kolkata.

"The BJP have realized that their days are numbered ... It seems the rally has shaken the very base of the Modi government," he added.

Referring to the rally, the Sena, in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamna', asked Modi not to live in an illusion that his government is "immortal".

The Sena said the Trinamool Congress(TMC) supremo was taking the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah combine head-on.

"Most of the leaders who attended the rally, including Banerjee, were once allies of the BJP under Atal Bihari Vajpayee's leadership and there is no need to ridicule them. Modi's government is not an enemy of the country but he should not live in an illusion that his government is 'amar' (immortal)," the it added.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said Modi's recent remarks about the opposition's 'mahagathbandhan' and his body language "proved" he was "afraid" of its unity.

"As you have noticed, the PM has now started talking about the 'mahagathbandhan' in his speeches. It shows that the alliance has injected some kind of fear in his mind. Even his body language proves he is now scared of opposition unity" Patel told reporters in Ahmedabad.

Addressing Congress workers, Patel said the ruling party leaders used to claim that they would remain in power for 50 years but now they "fear" if they lose the upcomingl Lok Sabha polls they might not return to power for 200 years.

"With the evolution of Opposition Unity their body language has changed. Fear is visible. Earlier they used to say that BJP will remain in power for 50 years. Now they are saying if they lose they won't come back in power for 200 years," Patel said on Twitter.

Patel said the coming together of opposition parties is guided by a "common objective" to defend and protect the Constitution.

"Only those who have undermined and tried to sabotage the Constitution seem to be extremely perturbed by Opposition unity." 

Dismissing the opposition Mahagathbandhan' as unviable and unworkable, Jaitley said India has moved ahead of 1971 and the aspirational society will not commit a "collective suicide" in the upcoming general elections.

The two-fold strategy of the opposition parties for the general elections is to pursue anti-Modi agenda and take advantage of the electoral arithmetic, he said in a Facebook post titled 'Agenda for 2019 - Modi Vs Chaos'.

"Will 2019 be a replica of 1971? It is Modi vs an unviable and an unworkable short-lived combination. OR is it Modi vs Chaos, Jaitley wondered.

The minister is currently in the US for a medical check up.

Recalling the 1971 General Elections, Jaitley said the opposition had formed a 'Grand Alliance' or the 'Mahagathbandhan' teaming up against the then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

"We had powerful leaders and a head-start in the media. Additionally, the Congress had split into two.... The results were announced, India rejected negativism. The India of 2019 has moved way ahead of India of 1971. Aspirational society never commit a collective suicide. They do not suffer from a Lemming Syndrome," Jaitley said.

Lemming Syndrome refers to a phenomenon wherein crowds of people, imitate actions of each other just because they see majority of their peers doing it.

Stating that every General Election has its own script that is dictated by the prevailing political environment, Jaitley said for the 2019 political battle, India's opposition has a two-fold strategy, firstly, negative anti-Modi agenda and secondly, random political grouping to gain from the electoral arithmetic.

He said Opposition politics has thrown up four desirous Prime Ministers wishing to challenge Modi.

"It is obvious that the level of satisfaction with PM Sh @narendramodi ji is very high. If that weren't so, what was the need for multiple disparate forces to come together against him? It is only the fear of his popularity & a certain comeback that is bringing them together," Jaitley said.

Jaitley said the opposition rally in Kolkata became significantly "a non-Rahul Gandhi rally" by his conspicuous absence.

-PTI