Current Affairs

Issue

The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, said that there was no more UPA and the alliance was finished.

 

Background

UPA or the United progressive Alliance was a group of parties that came together and formed government from 2004 to 2014. It was led by Indian National Congress (INC).

 

Details

• The statement of Banerjee is an indication that a grouping of regional parties was better placed to take on the might of ruling party.

• An alliance in which the INC is not an automatic leader has shown to give better hopes to the opposition party leaders.

 

Rise of UPA

• The UPA was formed in 2004, after coming together of INC, Left parties and others. The alliance managed to hold on to the power after 2009 elections.

• After managing to outnumber BJP in 2004 elections, the congress managed to attract similar-minded political parties to form an alliance and keep BJP out of power.

• About 14 political parties supported the government from inside whereas 4 Left parties gave outside support based on Common Minimum Programme (CMP).

• Dr Manmohan Singh was chosen as the leader of the alliance. Other parties involved in the alliance included LJP, NCP, PDP, RJD, JMM, RLD, SP etc.

 

The fall

• TRS, led by K Chandrasekhar Rao quit the alliance over the issue of Telangana. The MDMK left alliance alleging the government’s failure to implement ideas.

• The biggest setback was when the Left parties left the alliance over the government’s decision to sign Civil nuclear deal with USA.

 

The second innings

• The UPA managed to retain power with Congress winning 206 seats. Parties such as TMC and NC supported Dr Singh for his second stint.

• The SP and RJD gave outside support to the government. The number of allies reduced to five parties this time.

• The TMC and DMK left the alliance in 2012 over variety of issues. The DMK criticized the government for its stand on Sri Lankan Tamils.

 

The present scenario

• Since the decimation in 2014, UPA has not met. The opposition meeting these days is referred to as meeting of ‘like-minded parties’.

• Trinamool Congress is on an expansion spree. It has recruited disgruntled former Congress and other opposition party leaders. The idea is to project a new opposition, sans the Gandhi-led Congress.