As it progressed, a sense of urgency that was seen in the past, at least for collective preservation, soon transformed into one of self-preservation by individual parties.
What was obvious was that there was everything except cohesion among the so-called allies of Congress, which heads an alliance of sorts meant to be a credible alternative to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led coalition at the Centre.
It has long been seen by a section of pundits and rivals as a combine that exists more in imagination than reality, bereft of any real mobilising capacity at the grassroots.
The opposition leaders who addressed the media were uncharacteristically taciturn.
Even as Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge read out a five-point agenda the leaders were aware that a group of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs had declared themselves a separate group and had met BJP leader Bhupender Yadav.
The split in the Lok Sabha group mirrored the division in TMC’s West Bengal legislative party and veteran leader and Barasat MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar announced the rebels would support the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
It is said that when the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPM, contemplated giving the meet a miss to respect the sentiments of its cadres in Kerala and elsewhere, CPI was determined not to ditch Congress and would make it to the meeting.
Raja merely asked Gandhi Jr why he had accused the Left parties of not being left enough in his recent speeches.
Rolling up his imaginary sleeves, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha retorted, “We said that based on facts.” Raja was taken aback and it was left to CPM Rajya Sabha leader John Brittas to step in and ask what exactly he meant by “facts”.
Rahul Gandhi went on, with no sense of foreboding about being fact-checked, “You invited Adani to Kerala.” He was referring to the invitation extended to the Adani Group to build and operate the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram.
