Opposition in a Healthy Democracy

This description of the role of opposition in a democracy given by C. Rajagopalachari 'Rajaji', in an article published in 1958, is as relevant today as it was then.
Here I quote from Ramachandra Guha's 'India After Gandhi'.

C. Rajagopalachari 

"Probably the main cause for the collapse of independent thinking in India was the long reign of popular favourites without any significant opposition. However, a healthy democracy required an opposition that thinks differently and does not just want more of the same, a group of vigorously thinking citizens which aims at the general welfare, and not one that in order to get more votes from the so-called have-nots, offers more to them than the party in power has given, an opposition that appeals to reason..."