The Opposition and Identity politics

The Opposition and Identity politics​

By: Amit Bhushan Date: 10th June 2018

The commercial news media loves ‘Identity Politics’, and would do that at the drop of the hat i.e. popping up identities rather than issues. Individualistic Netas are ever ready to fall in this trap, since this may give the some succor from the current heat & dust. The Netas in the government also love this as an easy way out to disguise issues and confuse the ‘opposition’ and the public/voters and would therefore jump at these props being propped up. But the challenge with the ‘real challengers’ are multi-fold. Only one of them is to take care of these multitude of coalition partners who would do everything to build own image at the cost of others and often at the cost of ‘optimum policy option’ from a public/voter perspective. Divisive caste based policy has resulted in ‘identity champions’ and these need to be ‘put to size’, however a chunk of Netas would rather pursue unleashing and re-unleashing of such politics, rather than an ‘issue based’ one. This is now clearly going to damage any prospects to have a strong leaders with ability to ‘bind’ other Netas with strong ‘identity base’ and build and delivering with ‘expectations of performance’.

These issues hadn’t affected the polity to such an extent earlier on account of rather stronger ground presence either as ‘opposition’ or being closely identify with the ‘opposition’ and therefore having ‘influence’. However, the present changed circumstances is likely to be result in unknown. This is because the so called ‘strong identity Netas’ with some political base in one of the states, may possibly decide to switch sides in scenarios pre- or post- elections. The ability to build up an expectation for performance around public issues, thus is a casualty in a coalition of identity Netas and parties. No wonder formation of this coalition is taking its time since there is clarity about the prevailing confusion on almost every possible agenda item except just one. However with the ongoing talks of proposed unity, the caste identity Netas feel on familiar grounds except that they all happen to be in the smaller political pool of opposition this time, rather than in majority governing pool. The play is about the distribution of tickets rather than compromise to put up some winnable agenda in place.

The same challenge remains on the government side. The need and willingness to sell identities rather than the agenda. The weakness of party’s ideology to conjure any winnable majority isn’t realized. Even with the Netas where it is understood, the efforts would still be on to work on dividing any opposition unity and attempting to satiate the desire of own Netas for power by such machinations and maintain a façade of unity behind identity. Any maneuverability to take upon a ‘united opposition’ even when it is deeply fragmented within could be possible basis agenda that can potentially be sold to public. Even in such a scenario, there still might be need to tie-up with supporting parties to make up for the lost seats which is unavoidable on account of performance. Its time when the Netas realize that the ‘public agenda’ is perhaps a better way to conjure majority, rather than ‘identity politics and coercive techniques’ pursued by most. The ‘Game’ forecast (http://www.managementparadise.com/article/9759/the-prophecy-of-the-game-part-ii ) is therefore unavoidable. Let the Game evolve…

 

[Swaswati Borpuzari]

The dynamics of opposition and identity politics are increasingly pivotal in contemporary political landscapes, shaping dialogues and policies across various nations. Identity politics, which focuses on the interests and perspectives of specific groups based on shared characteristics such as race, gender, sexuality, or ethnicity, often serves as a rallying point for those who feel marginalized or underrepresented in mainstream political discourse. This form of political engagement can empower these groups by fostering a sense of community and collective action, which is crucial for advancing their rights and concerns. However, it can also lead to fragmentation within the broader political spectrum, as different identity groups may prioritize their own agendas over a unified stance on broader issues. The opposition, in turn, navigates these complex dynamics by either aligning with specific identity groups to gain support or distancing themselves to appeal to a wider, more diverse electorate. This strategic maneuvering often results in a polarized political environment, where issues are framed in terms of us versus them, potentially exacerbating social divisions. Critics argue that while identity politics can bring necessary attention to overlooked issues, it can also detract from more inclusive and comprehensive policy-making. The challenge for political leaders and systems is to balance the legitimate demands of identity groups with the need to build coalitions and address the broader public interest, fostering a more inclusive and cohesive society.

 

[Dhruv Bindhani]

The Opposition and Identity politics​

By: Amit Bhushan Date: 10th June 2018

The commercial news media loves ‘Identity Politics’, and would do that at the drop of the hat i.e. popping up identities rather than issues. Individualistic Netas are ever ready to fall in this trap, since this may give the some succor from the current heat & dust. The Netas in the government also love this as an easy way out to disguise issues and confuse the ‘opposition’ and the public/voters and would therefore jump at these props being propped up. But the challenge with the ‘real challengers’ are multi-fold. Only one of them is to take care of these multitude of coalition partners who would do everything to build own image at the cost of others and often at the cost of ‘optimum policy option’ from a public/voter perspective. Divisive caste based policy has resulted in ‘identity champions’ and these need to be ‘put to size’, however a chunk of Netas would rather pursue unleashing and re-unleashing of such politics, rather than an ‘issue based’ one. This is now clearly going to damage any prospects to have a strong leaders with ability to ‘bind’ other Netas with strong ‘identity base’ and build and delivering with ‘expectations of performance’.

These issues hadn’t affected the polity to such an extent earlier on account of rather stronger ground presence either as ‘opposition’ or being closely identify with the ‘opposition’ and therefore having ‘influence’. However, the present changed circumstances is likely to be result in unknown. This is because the so called ‘strong identity Netas’ with some political base in one of the states, may possibly decide to switch sides in scenarios pre- or post- elections. The ability to build up an expectation for performance around public issues, thus is a casualty in a coalition of identity Netas and parties. No wonder formation of this coalition is taking its time since there is clarity about the prevailing confusion on almost every possible agenda item except just one. However with the ongoing talks of proposed unity, the caste identity Netas feel on familiar grounds except that they all happen to be in the smaller political pool of opposition this time, rather than in majority governing pool. The play is about the distribution of tickets rather than compromise to put up some winnable agenda in place.

The same challenge remains on the government side. The need and willingness to sell identities rather than the agenda. The weakness of party’s ideology to conjure any winnable majority isn’t realized. Even with the Netas where it is understood, the efforts would still be on to work on dividing any opposition unity and attempting to satiate the desire of own Netas for power by such machinations and maintain a façade of unity behind identity. Any maneuverability to take upon a ‘united opposition’ even when it is deeply fragmented within could be possible basis agenda that can potentially be sold to public. Even in such a scenario, there still might be need to tie-up with supporting parties to make up for the lost seats which is unavoidable on account of performance. Its time when the Netas realize that the ‘public agenda’ is perhaps a better way to conjure majority, rather than ‘identity politics and coercive techniques’ pursued by most. The ‘Game’ forecast (http://www.managementparadise.com/article/9759/the-prophecy-of-the-game-part-ii ) is therefore unavoidable. Let the Game evolve…

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