- The Bharatiya Janata Party prides itself as a party with a difference at any given opportunity. Also, the BJP never let go of an opportunity to denigrate the principal opposition party Congress for the dynastic politics surrounding the family without encouraging others to take over some important mantle in the organisation. Moreover, the political narrative in the country is largely based on the communal versus secular lines further polarizing the already deeply polarized society. Add to this, the regional political parties have come into their own over the last few years fighting the national parties in some states and aligning with them in many other states. Indeed, it’s not easy to comprehend unless you are keenly invested in comprehending the dynamics of Indian politics.
PC: Quora
- The moot point to ponder over here is whether the BJP makes a concerted effort to position itself as a party that walks the talk, especially to contradict what the Congress espouses. Make no mistake, the ideological differences apart, the BJP and the Congress have also gone about assiduously building a narrative that sets them apart not only in the way the former encourages new leadership to don responsible roles but also in not flinching one bit when it comes to cracking whip to curb any potential dissidence activities. The credit should go to the BJP’s top leadership team headed by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi who commands immense respect from the countrymen on the back of huge popularity, acceptance, and electoral wins.
- No wonder, the BJP always portrays Modi as the face of the party during the election campaigning where huge crowds are a given fact. Most importantly, Modi the orator successfully connects with the electorate on the back of hugely penetrative socio-welfare schemes. When Modi assures the congregated crowd that he will vouch for the benefits of the various schemes to reach the last man/woman standing, the people wholeheartedly endorse knowing fully well that they will receive the intended aid. Notably, the BJP’s top leadership also initiates surprising changes vis-à-vis change of state leadership even if it must sideline senior leaders of the stature of Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Vasundhara Raje, and Raman Singh, just to name a few.
PC: The Indian Express
- The Grand Old Party on the other hand simply does not enjoy the heft, traction, or influence to rein over the overtly ambitious leaders wishing to stamp their authority locally. Even though the Gandhi family still acts like a glue to hold the old timers in its fold, the earlier infallible authority enjoyed by the top leaders has vanished for good. The present Gandhi family members at best can exercise limited sway over the old timers like Ashok Gehlot, Kamal Nath, and Digvijay Singh who are strong leaders on their own but with waning power. As such, the recent reversals of Congress can be largely credited to a few of the regional leaders overruling the High Command’s preferences. Will Congress succeed in overcoming the electoral reverses sooner than later?
