- The Bharatiya Janata Party would be delightfully basking in the glory of its recent triumphs in the state assembly elections to Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, and Goa, respectively. As expected, Uttar Pradesh did not throw any major surprises even though Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party did offer a formidable challenge to the saffron brigade. But what is surprising is the meek submission of Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party, a once-formidable Dalit outfit, almost going into oblivion in UP. Going by the look of things, it appears Mayawati is staring at the end of the road as her core vote bank stands eroded considerably.
PC: Indo-Asian News Service
- Less said the better about the Grand Old Party, the Congress led by the Gandhi siblings Rahul and Priyanka. It is amply clear that the siblings in particular as well as the family is consistently failing to not only impress upon the electorate wherever the party contests but also coming short of inspiring the cadre to take on the extremely competitive election machinery of the BJP. Successive defeats at the hustings should call for an honest introspection by the party mandarins which unfortunately is not going to fructify as past setbacks suggest. Nonetheless, internal bickering within the party will gain traction in the coming days with more leaders joining the ranks of the G-23 group opposing Congress’s functioning.
- In hindsight, the slipping away of Punjab which was truly entrenched in the Congress grasp is hard to fathom. No wonder, questionable moves like replacing the incumbent CM Captain Amarinder Singh with a Dalit face of Charanjit Singh Channi did more damage than the anticipated gains. The tussle for one-upmanship between Channi and the Pradesh Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu hardly helped the cause of the party. Despite promises of farm loan waiver and freebies thrown around for good measure, the government in power could not convince the electorate to choose the party is a sad story of lost opportunity indeed.
PC: India TV News Desk
- Of course, Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party made handsome gains at the cost of Congress and in a spectacular fashion. Credit should be accorded to Kejriwal for the way the 10-year-old party has succeeded in storming to power in Punjab. No wonder, it’s time for honest introspection for Congress. Now, what is apparent from these state election results is the unquestionable sway enjoyed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in steering BJP amid concerted efforts by the opposition to stymie the saffron brigade from forging ahead. As you are aware, the electioneering was bereft of development plank since polarization reigned supreme right through.
- Note that PM’s personal campaign trail exhorting the voters to choose the BJP did greatly impact the voters and the final outcome. Welcome results only further demonstrate the charismatic popularity Modi enjoys amongst people cutting across caste conundrum. It can be safely said that there is no taller political leader than Modi in the country who could influence the voters despite the economy facing duress owing to a variety of reasons. What are those character traits that endear Modi to voters? Striking a right chord, knowing the pulse of the people, honest disposition, political instinct, carefully cultivated persona, oratorical skills, nationalistic fervor, strongman image, and hands-on approach. Or maybe his go-getter outlook that works magic most often than not. The BJP will be elated about its biggest mascot striking rich.
