The disquieting politics!

JP Nadda, the President of the BJP, announced the much-awaited National Team of the Bhartiya Janata Party yesterday. It is significant in terms of the looming Assam, Bihar, Kerala, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal elections, some as close as of Oct and until May 2021. There would be a by-poll in Madhya Pradesh as well.

BJP won the elections in 2014 primarily not on its strength or touting the history of governance through past the NDA coalition. It won straight over the plank of corruption in the UPA, the Congress party in particular and the members of the Gandhi family. BJP was not different in the voters’ mind than their political masters, the RSS, who were sticklers for strict discipline in public life.

Despite the loud accusations, no member of the Gandhi family is behind bars, despite the hardcore Sangh Parivar hoping that a few of them are incarcerated. Bungling over the demonetization and lacklustre job creation had added the woes of the party. Losing elections and winning a few opposition MLAs, like the BJP did in Madhya Pradesh may not help their cleaner party image. The party is struggling to keep up their momentum to increase their presence in the upcoming State Assembly elections. 

The long lingering Covid pandemic has caused more harm to the economy and has influenced the moods of the people. The government’s response to China over the disquiet on the northern borders may not yield many swings in the immediate elections. It is not surprising that the national party is vying to lean on the dead hero Sushant Singh Rajput as a poll mascot. The indisposed Lalu in jail and his son a poor comparison, JDU-BJP combination, led by Nitish Kumar would sail through despite the incumbency factor.

However, BJP’s image is seriously dented when they show their desperation and include a tainted leader like Mukul Roy as their Vice-President. The BJP’s old brigade and the dropped leaders like Rahul Sinha have come with scathing attacks over the altering philosophy of their once puritan party. Some, I hear, would quit and more will move back to Mamata’s TMC in West Bengal.

The other aspect of the committee is South India is poorly represented, confirming the party’s orientation and limitation as a Hindi-belt one. If the attempts to inaugurate the Ram temple before the 2024 elections can swing the elections in BJP’s favour, it will have little impact in the south. It seems that the BJP has virtually conceded the south to the regional outfits, relying on the powers of the investigative agencies to help during the crucial votes in parliament. Walkouts by political opponents besieged by scam-investigations by the CBI and the ED during crucial voting are becoming too familiar.

Pakistan will not ever repeat a mistake of provoking Modi and giving him an opportunity as they did in Pulwama. Despite the standoffs with China, I expect no war or even a limited battle, considering the implications. The BJP must therefore look closely into more earthly issues, rather than trusting in celestial patronage.

Rise of regional parties all over will also increase the rise the political din, forcing compromises that may not augur well for India.

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix