India may be a developing country, but when it comes to exercising their franchise, the people often stun the nation. The results of the assembly elections from the five states too are no different from that perspective. Spreading all over India, from Telangana in the south, Mizoram in the North-East, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh in central India and Rajasthan in the west, this election was a virtual reflection of the disenchantment of the people over broken promises, and failed expectations.
Congress, though tightrope walk in Madhya Pradesh, reaped an abundant harvest in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, suffering only a setback at Mizoram, which I consider an inconsequential one in the national perspective. Telangana, as expected returned TRS, his premature dissolution of assembly paying richer dividends.
Admittedly, this scenario was unthinkable in 2014 or even last year, when state after state returned BJP. The Karnataka election was perhaps the eyeopener for a realignment of forces, not based on their individual party’s political ideologies, but based on defeating BJP at all costs. Congress is able to form the ministry in Madhya Pradesh only with the two seats support that BSP has offered at the last moment, as a strategy to deny BJP to form the government.
The invincibility of both Modi and his general Amit Shah lies tattered by the vanquisher, Rahu, who was mocked as Pappu, unintelligent and ineligible for any higher political responsibility. Observing Congress closely, it had strategized on many BJP’s favourite themes like temple visits, soft Hindutva firmly establishing that Gods are not any single party’s manifesto. Rahul also raised his voice on DeMO, GST, Rafael and economic offenders like Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Mallya.
What did Modi in was the continued justification of the failed DeMo, ignoring the hardships faced by the small trade from the hasty introduction of GST and of course, Rafael, the price of purchase of which was with tax-payers’ money, kept in the dark, raising serious doubts in the minds of people. The attack on the sovereignty of institutions like RBI or Film Institute did no help either. NDA rule, unlike in the earlier instalments, succeeded in polarizing Indians either on religious or on political grounds.
I will hold the arrogance of Amit Shah, the president of BJP and the campaigner Yogi Aditya Nath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh also responsible for the disaster. How dare a CM from a different state to threaten of renaming Hyderabad city? He surely does not history, when Nizam reportedly gave Rs.5000 crores to Jawaharlal Nehru as aid. Inevitably the game of renaming bounced back badly to singe the CM of one of the most lawless states of India.
The distrust between communities has never been so blatant like it is at present, turning friends or neighbours into foes. Troll army was ready to pounce on anyone with a divergent view, branding them anti-nationals. Such queered atmosphere prevailing in the country must be tamed and reversed.
There may still be no substitute for Modi as a PM face for 2019, but the collaterals and the fringe he carries are not tolerable to Indians, as is evidenced from the results of the five states now. It’s ‘India shining’ once again!
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
