Chinks are appearing on the invincible wall of the fortress called NDA, which unless checked by the BJP, could grow in the coming months. If the by-poll results are a pointer for things to shape up, the discontent with the NDA alliance partners has begun a few months ago, with Shiv Sena, their erstwhile committed partner and a right-wing Hindutva party moving away from the BJP.
The size of the Lok Sabha win has perhaps blinded BJP, which is accused of being arrogant and treating its alliance partners like dirt. Telugu Desam Party too has embarrassed BJP by accusing the latter of going back on promises made, and has withdrawn its ministers from NDA and has further threatened to withdraw support to the government. Nitish is on edge, ever since the snub from PM Modi, despite his cheeky crossover belying the electorate. He won with the support of RJD, while opposing BJP and is now a constituent of NDA. It’s like a player changing to the opponent’s jersey in the middle of a game!
The By-poll results, despite the landslide win in Tripura, collective win in Nagaland, and manipulative win in Meghalaya cannot eclipse BJP’s travails nor the cudgelling at every by poll, from Ahmed Patel’s victory in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and now Bihar and U.P.
The polls in U.P. stand out significantly, as Gorakhpur has been a seat repeatedly won by Sanghis and the BJP for the last thirty years, which they have lost now.
BJP should start respecting their allies with more respect and in the light of their pre-poll positions. Invoking Hindu gods in elections, or pretending like the only legal heir to Hinduism may not yield many dividends. Protests cannot be treated as anti-national. Opponents to BJP are not agents of countries inimical to the interest of our nation. Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, the birthplace of Ram, is the dream of every Hindu, but the temple cannot be built on a bloody river of hatred and division of our citizens. Ram Mandir plank cannot win elections for BJP forever. Bludgeoning of every feeble dissent through well-oiled troll brigades should be stopped.
I am not comfortable over the abysmally poor non-show in the by-polls by the Congress party, despite its many ministers and functionaries steeped neck-deep into corruption scandals. The alternative is a ‘khichdi,’ comprising of very many parties, which even in the unlikely event of winning, would make governance of this country near impossible. The much-touted corruption-free governance of Modi stands violated with the emerging Mallaya, Nirav Modi and Choksi scams, exposing the irreverence of the poll promises.
BJP must realise that many regional satraps like Mayawati and Lalu have efficiently groomed their rank and file and are a force to reckon with, despite ups and downs in elections. They are long-distance marathon runners, unlike the president of the Congress party. BJP must shun their over-confidence and should not view all regional parties at par with a rudderless Congress.
Wish and pray the business of polarisation for polls end, and India forges ahead!
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide voix
