PARAGRAPH, WORDS AND MEANINGS

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Topic Of The Day:-“Unity And Strength: On The Opposition Rally”

Opposition Parties Need A Cohesive Framework To Be A Viable Alternative To The BJP

It is always easier to agree on the ends than on the means. Opposition parties that came together at the Kolkata rally hosted by Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee had a commonality of purpose — defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party. But little else. To share a dais and hold hands is one thing; to share seats and work in tandem is quite another. Even so, for over 20 parties, big and small, some with overlapping support bases, to come together on one platform is in itself remarkable. It is the dominance of the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi beginning with the 2014 Lok Sabha election that has forced these parties to yoke themselves together. Alliancesthat had seemed impossible just a year ago, such as those between the SP and the BSP in Uttar Pradesh, the TDP and the Congress in Andhra Pradesh, and the Congress and the JD(S) in Karnataka now have a settled look. The Trinamool and Ms. Banerjee have also shifted positions to move toward the formation of a national-level alternative to the BJP, giving up the idea of a federal front of regional parties opposed to both the Congress and the BJP. The federal front wasessentially the brainchild of the TRS founder K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who could notcountenance being part of a front that included his principal rival, the Congress. Ms. Banerjee, who seemed warm to the idea initially, was quick to realise such a formation would be unable to mount a serious challenge to the BJP. In terms of optics, the Kolkata rally was a show of strength for Ms. Banerjee. At the same time, it seems to have imparted a fresh impulse to the efforts to put together a viable, if not entirely cohesive, alternative to the BJP.

However, though all these parties are agreed on flushing out the BJP, there is still the issue of reaching agreements at the State level, and arriving at a consensus on a common manifesto of policies and programmes. The SP and the BSP have agreed on seat-sharing but have notaccommodated the Congress; also, negotiations with another ally, the RLD, are yet toconclude. The Congress and the JD(S) are partners in government, but their vote banks overlapgeographically. Seat-sharing is likely to be akin to navigating a minefield. There is also no telling how an alliance between the Congress and the TDP, bitter rivals hitherto, will work on the ground. Besides, the support bases of these parties are varied socio-economically, and without a shared agenda for governance the political unity at the leadership level might be difficult tosustain. Therefore, it was perhaps no surprise that the rally avoided the contentious issue of naming a prime ministerial candidate, leaving the issue to be decided after the election. The Opposition parties may have made a good start, but there is much they need to settle among themselves to mount a serious challenge in 2019.

 

MEANINGS AND WORDS

1) hosted

Meaning : act as host at (an event) or for (a television or radio programme).

Synonyms : present

Example : “Canada was asked to host a Commonwealth conference in Ottawa”

2) dominance

Meaning : power and influence over others.

Synonyms : power

Antonyms : impotence

Example : “the worldwide dominance of Hollywood”

3) Alliances

Meaning : a union or association formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries or organizations.

Synonyms : betrothal

Antonyms : detachment

Example : “a defensive alliance between Australia and New Zealand”

4) alternative

Meaning : (of one or more things) available as another possibility or choice.

Synonyms : different

Antonyms : obligation

Example : “the various alternative methods for resolving disputes”

5) essentially

Meaning : used to emphasize the basic, fundamental, or intrinsic nature of a person or thing.

Synonyms : originally

Antonyms : doubtfully

Example : “essentially, they are amateurs”

6) countenance

Meaning : a person’s face or facial expression.

Synonyms : mien

Antonyms : forbid

Example : “his impenetrable eyes and inscrutable countenance give little away”

7) rival

Meaning : a person or thing competing with another for the same objective or for superiority in the same field of activity.

Synonyms : competing

Antonyms : assisting

Example : “he has no serious rival for the job”

8) realise

Meaning : become fully aware of (something) as a fact; understand clearly.

Synonyms : grasp

Antonyms : disbelieve

Example : “he realized his mistake at once”

9) imparted

Meaning : make (information) known.

Synonyms : convey

Antonyms : withhold

Example : “the teachers imparted a great deal of knowledge to their pupils”

10) impulse

Meaning : a sudden strong and unreflective urge or desire to act.

Synonyms : desire

Antonyms : concrete

Example : “I had an almost irresistible impulse to giggle”

11) viable

Meaning : capable of working successfully; feasible.

Synonyms : applicable

Antonyms : unfeasible

Example : “the proposed investment was economically viable”

12) cohesive

Meaning : characterized by or causing cohesion.

Synonyms : united

Antonyms : detached

Example : “each parish was formerly a cohesive unit”

13) manifesto

Meaning : a public declaration of policy and aims, especially one issued before an election by a political party or candidate.

Synonyms : notice

Example : “he may fudge key issues in the Labour manifesto”

14) accommodated

Meaning : (of a building or other area) provide lodging or sufficient space for.

Synonyms : contain

Antonyms : reject

Example : “the cottages accommodate up to six people”

15) conclude

Meaning : bring or come to an end.

Synonyms : achieve

Antonyms : begin

Example :”they conclude their study with these words”

16) navigating

Meaning : plan and direct the course of a ship, aircraft, or other form of transport, especially by using instruments or maps.

Synonyms : cruise

Antonyms : neglect

Example : “they navigated by the stars”

17) overlap

Meaning : extend over so as to cover partly.

Synonyms : imbricate

Antonyms : divide

Example : “the canopy overlaps the house roof at one end”

18) akin

Meaning : of similar character.

Synonyms : analogous

Antonyms : unalike

Example : “something akin to gratitude overwhelmed her”

19) rivals

Meaning : a person or thing competing with another for the same objective or for superiority in the same field of activity.

Synonyms : competition

Antonyms : helper

Example : “he has no serious rival for the job”

20) Besides

Meaning : in addition to; apart from.

Synonyms : likewise

Example : “I have no other family besides my parents”

21) contentious

Meaning : causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial.

Synonyms : combative

Antonyms : agreeable

Example : “a contentious issue”

22) sustain

Meaning : strengthen or support physically or mentally.

Synonyms : assist

Antonyms : harm

Example : “this thought had sustained him throughout the years”

23) perhaps

Meaning : used to express uncertainty or possibility.

Synonyms : perchance

Antonyms : improbably

Example : “perhaps I should have been frank with him”