Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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It is time that BJP resort to course correction

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In  a very embarrassing circumstances, less than three-day-old BJP government, led by B.S. Yeddyurappa, made way for a Congress-Janata Dal (S) alliance indulgence in Karnataka in a broken end to a week-long political drama. Overconfident Yeddyurappa, who had taken oath as Chief Minister on May 17 after the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 104 seats, resigned without facing the floor test because there was no one ready to support them, convinced that he did not command the numbers in the house. Making a fervent speech that he would fight for farmers “till the last breath” and that he would start touring the state again, Yeddyurappa walked out of the Assembly. With all their efforts to lure opposition MLA’s falling flat, the BJP CM Yeddyurappa had no option left but to quit to avoid further humiliation in the floor test. But, it is really a travesty of justice that a party that won just 38 seats and 18 per cent of the vote is coming to power and its leader H. D. Kumaraswamy is all set to become the CM. It remains to be seen how long this alliance between the Congress and the JD(S) will last as both the parties do not see eye to eye on several issues.

The Supreme Court ordered PM Modi’s party to prove its majority in the house on Saturday – much sooner than the 15-day time period granted earlier by the state’s Governor. Following the hard-fought election, the BJP won 104 seats, more than any other party but eight short of the majority. It was defeated in the confidence test as it could not garner support from the lawmakers of opposition parties. Karnataka elections were a message to BJP that the politics is not the place to show aggression and arrogance as the party learned a hard lesson. It also raises the prospect of opposition parties teaming up to block PM Modi’s re-election in 2019. The Congress party, which ruled the state for the last five years, won 78 seats while the regional party Janata Dal (Secular) secured 37 seats. Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) had separately approached the state’s Governor to form a coalition government. But the Governor instead asked BJP to try and prove its majority, forcing the Congress to move to the Supreme Court.

The Governor’s decision giving more generous time to BJP to prove its majority, prompted worries about “horse-trading” – the purchase of legislators before voting. The Supreme Court’s intervention gave the ruling party less time to woo enough lawmakers to its side to survive in a confidence motion. Surprisingly, this time even lawmakers did not fall into the trap of bribery, they exposed BJP’s offers to them. You can see, the rejection to join BJP was very much strong in Congress and JD(S) leaders. Although, becoming single largest party is itself an achievement for BJP, its failure to rule Karnataka will hamper the party’s bid to expand its base beyond its stronghold in the north and the west and halt its momentum before general elections next year. For Congress, winning back Karnataka brings a rare piece of good news to the opposition party which has been struggling to revive its winning momentum and retain its control over the last two big Indian states – Karnataka and Punjab.

The BJP and Congress will next be involved in a close fight in December elections in three key states – Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh – all are ruled by BJP; Rajasthan is already seen going in the favour of Congress. Madhya Pradesh could be saved by recently appointed spiritual leaders in politics.

Hopefully, BJP has learned the lesson hard way. Hope it will offer an olive branch to TDP’s Naidu in Andhra Pradesh (AP). It might offer generous financial help to allow Chandrababu Naidu to develop the newly formed states. Creating hurdles and denying rightful financial help fearing it, cannot gain foothold in AP. It will certainly backfire and aligning with Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) and PK’s Party won’t salvage the sagging image of BJP in AP. BJP bosses around with their smaller allies. By 2019 polls their allies all over India will distance themselves, while Congress will be able to create new allies with a common goal to defeat BJP. Moreover, the chest-beating of PM about corruption-free India claims to have gone totally naked. Now, every responsible voter would know how BJP uses the money.

People are angry with BJP and let them read the writing on the wall. If they still ignore then one can use the saying – “Vinasha kale viparitha buddhi”. It is not just a win against BJP, Rahul Gandhi single-handedly gave BJP their nightmare in Gujarat, Punjab, Goa, etc. Yes, BJP was able to form governments in some places with their money power but overall the party’s popularity is declining. India is going to face very big hypocrisy and manoeuvre ahead of 2019 poll. Modi has divided India into nationalist Hindus and anti-nationalist Hindus, Hindu and Muslim, Hindu and Dalits, Hindus and OBC. Unemployment is rising in Modi reign, economy is in worst shape, rupee is falling down against dollar, health sector is in jeopardy, education sector is in doldrums and influence of RSS is increasing in every sphere and it is occupying all institutions, is a sign India will lose its independence to the ones who were stooge of Britishers.

Narendra Modi with all his forces and he himself getting on the battlefield for nine long days leaving Delhi aside could manage only 36 per cent vote, while Rahul Gandhi alone, on his own, pulled 38 per cent of the votes. This itself is an indication of the stronghold that Congress has in the state. So leaving the seats aside, if you look at the percentage, Congress has proved their benchmark. Surprisingly, one needs to really think who is “Pappu” in this entire political battle equation.

In 2013 also, Congress got a highest vote share of 39 per cent, whereas BJP was nowhere around then. One needs to accept now, Congress gets out of power for some time and for some reasons, but largely it has succeeded in ruling our nation.

Time has come, Modi should talk about what he has delivered so far, he should address development than ranting against Nehru and Gandhi by stating wrong things about Indian pre-independence history. Modi should answer the people what was his party’s contribution towards India’s independence struggle. The PM has taken people for granted and gone arrogant in all his speeches. This is the time for retrospection and correction. With this Karnataka experience, BJP should learn a lesson that they should come to power with a full majority, if not, the alliances are not very kind to let them rule.

 

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)

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Vaidehi Taman
Vaidehi Tamanhttps://authorvaidehi.com
Vaidehi Taman an Accredited Journalist from Maharashtra is bestowed with three Honourary Doctorate in Journalism. Vaidehi has been an active journalist for the past 21 years, and is also the founding editor of an English daily tabloid – Afternoon Voice, a Marathi web portal – Mumbai Manoos, and The Democracy digital video news portal is her brain child. Vaidehi has three books in her name, "Sikhism vs Sickism", "Life Beyond Complications" and "Vedanti". She is an EC Council Certified Ethical Hacker, OSCP offensive securities, Certified Security Analyst and Licensed Penetration Tester that caters to her freelance jobs.
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