- Some may say is this a question to be asked in the first place? Most of us would unabashedly wish to express the opinion that the only narrative that should be at play in any election in the country is development and development alone. Nothing else should even come in the way of impressing upon the electorate to choose from among the many competitors in the fray. Ideally speaking, an unambiguous roadmap demarcating the direction for the country to prosper, grow, and generally usher in better tidings for the citizens should be the guiding light for the political parties. Unfortunately, what is on offer in India from the political parties irrespective of ideologies and affiliations is anything but development. Caste equations largely drive the narration.
PC: livemint
- Our political narrative is never assumed to be complete without caste, creed, language, color, religion, and some such considerations always making an impactful presence during the elections. Every manifesto boasts of agendas meant to impress upon the electorate with the dangling of promises and assurances bereft of fiscal prudence. We know how the labyrinthine caste conundrum drives our political narrative and that isn’t going to change any time soon. No wonder, relentless clamoring for quotas and reservations never dries up. A similar narrative will be prominently visible during the ensuing state legislative assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram. The election dates were announced recently.
- As you are aware, the first three states mentioned above will see a direct fight between the BJP and Congress. Now, every political pundit as well as the party leadership would want us to believe that the results of these state assembly elections will be a mandate of sorts for the ruling dispensation at the Centre in the subsequent Lok Sabha elections scheduled in April-May 2024. That said, experience suggests it’s unwise to read too much into the results here. Over the last few election cycles in these states, voters have often exercised different choices in the assembly and the subsequent Lok Sabha elections. Nonetheless, this time there are a few overarching themes that will invariably play out in Lok Sabha polls too.
PC: NDTV
- Mind you, a framework to assess the five assembly elections is to look at them through the lens of caste, welfarism, and farm issues in four states, and ethnic issues in Mizoram. Of course, Bihar’s caste survey continues to reverberate. Congress has staked an unambiguous position, asking for a national survey. Ashok Gehlot has ordered one in Rajasthan and MP Congress has promised a survey if it comes to power. Expectedly, the BJP’s stand is ambiguous, and the outcome of these polls may influence its line for the Lok Sabha elections. Indeed, welfarism has emerged as a common theme across parties and states since brisk economic growth is not creating enough formal sector jobs. So, brace up for the familiar narrative yet again right up to the Lok Sabha polls.
