- The keen followers of the Indian political landscape would be quite certain that the narrative being built around the ensuing parliamentary elections denotes the Bharatiya Janata Party is ahead of other parties. The Congress as the principal opposition party is leaving no stone unturned in positioning itself as the entity to offer more than a semblance of resistance to the BJP. Of course, the INDIA bloc – a conglomeration of diverse and disparate opposition parties – is pulling in different directions making it tougher for the bloc to pose a formidable challenge. Mind you, several regionally powerful political parties have opposition not only in the form of the BJP but also Congress which makes it that much more difficult to convince the electorate of their conflicting viewpoints. There’s a definite paradox here in their approaches.
PC: Millennium Post
- Coming together at the national level to take on the might of the BJP is one aspect. However, the same opposition bloc fighting against each other in some of the states poses intriguing questions to the electorate. Take, for instance, Rahul Gandhi contesting as a Congress candidate from Wayanad which he won in the last Lok Sabha polls in 2019. He is contesting against the ruling LDF’s CPI candidate. Both these parties are part of the INDIA bloc nationally. The confusion of such political expediency at the national and regional levels may leave the electorate flummoxed as to how parties can oppose and join hands at the same time. Likewise, West Bengal will witness Trinamool Congress (TMC) taking on both the BJP and the Congress. Confusing, isn’t it?
- However, TMC is also part of the INDIA bloc nationally. Did someone say there’s no such thing as political ideology and philosophy compels the party leadership vis-à-vis with whom the alliances are formed or rejected? It’s all about survival and staying relevant to push their cause that drives the political class even if it is termed as parochial considerations. The political narrative being built around the country is all about how the formidable electoral machinery of the BJP is relentlessly pushing ahead with the agenda of making Prime Minister Narendra Modi win the ensuing elections for the third successive time. The BJP leadership is so confident about its chances of winning the elections with 400+ seats that it appears it will be a walkover for the saffron brigade.
PC: NDTV
- Or is it? The BJP is advised to be aware of becoming complacent about winning hands down despite the electorate being acutely aware of the challenges in the form of large unemployment, lack of job opportunities, rising income disparity, the inflationary trend still sweeping across, and the polarization challenges viz. communal versus secular cannot be brushed under the carpet. The BJP must exercise extreme caution and adopt a guarded approach even though several opinion polls suggest they are ahead. It is not out of place to note how the BJP was defeated in the 2014 polls when it was widely predicted the incumbent government in power back then would be voted in overwhelmingly. Yes, it’s safe to assume the BJP will be quite aware of these potential risks.
