Delhi shows BJP needs a course correction to win states


New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that mastered the art of vote consolidation through polarisation and reaped good political harvest seems to be faced with a situation where the time-tested tricks are failing to garner votes.

It worked well in the 2014 general elections and a slew of state elections including UP, but started failing after 2018.

In 2017 UP polls when the Samajwadi Party was expected to return to power by forging a wide-ranging poll alliance, the BJP raked up the alleged Hindu persecution in Western UP's Kairana to its electoral benefit.

But the poll tactics failed to work in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. It nearly lost Haryana and went out of power in Maharashtra after the Shiv Sena, longest alliance partner, refused to concede it the chief minister's post. As the BJP failed to re-design its strategy, Jharkhand became the latest state which slipped out of its hands.

The party used the nationalism card to the hilt to consolidate support base in the 2019 general elections. It made Pulwama attack, Balakot strike and safe return of IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman its poll calling card.

Modi swept back to power with 303 members in the 17th Lok Sabha.

But the latest results of the Delhi Assembly polls show that the nationalism and polarisation themes to gather votes have completed its self-life -- at least in the present packaging.

The muscular nationalism and majoritarian identity are the things in which no political party can beat the BJP. It's their strength, but also the weakness as none of its leaders can't speak at length on anything beyond these two. They tend to veer around these issues, even after started talking about something else.

At the Ramlila Maidan rally, which was used by Modi to kick start the Delhi poll campaign, he started with the issue of regularising 1,700 colonies, but within minutes he ventured towards the Citizenship Amendment Act, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, et al.

Needless to say, even today, the approval ratings of Modi is the highest across India. But people don't want to hand over reins of power to the BJP as they feel the party is inept at handling small but vital issues, like irrigation, electricity, drainage, urban poverty and education system.

Unless the BJP proves them wrong by speaking about state-specific issues in Assembly polls, it may lose Bihar and Bengal as well - the states next to go to Assembly polls.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Flavian, Mangaluru/Kuwait

    Thu, Feb 13 2020

    BJP started acting superb and expressing their illogical fabricated stories against Kejriwal.
    Being PM, CM, HM and other chamchas used derogatory language and irrational talks charging Kejriwal, also, Shaheen Bagh incidents, CAA protest. They brought army of members to utter
    whatever they wished in the election campaign. The result 3-4 campaigners were barred for few days.
    In spite of all such efforts they got what was well deserved for their ugly show off. Well done AAP.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • j.anata, Mangaluru / Bengaluru

    Thu, Feb 13 2020

    Agree. Party needs to change strategy on a war footing.
    High Command needs to learn from our Operations Specialist Dr Yeddy who is managing to win in a big state on his own without any help from Modi or Shah

    DisAgree [1] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mukesh Attavar, Mangalore

    Thu, Feb 13 2020

    Okay Noted, BJP has accepted defeat with all humility and will definetly work on its short comings.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mukesh Attavar, Mangalore

    Thu, Feb 13 2020

    Modi and Hindu bashing...

    DisAgree [2] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Satya, Mangalore

    Thu, Feb 13 2020

    But in their arrogance will they?
    Over the past 3 days since the Delhi results have been out, we have seen an array of BJP spokespersons appearing on various television channels. Even after being repeatedly asked about the venomous and communal election campaign unleashed by the BJP to polarise votes, which in the end did not help them win, except one lame and timid acknowledgement by Ms Kumaramangalam ( who said that there was some polarization which did not help the BJP) none of the others have acknowledged it, but instead only defended the people who indulged in such brazen and communal acts. Even outside we still see people like Anant Kumar Hegde continuing to spread hatred between communities.
    Not once the two people in the BJP who matter, The PM and Amit Shah have , come out with a statement reprimanding their wayward and toxic colleagues and asking them to desist from such acts, nor have they taken any disciplinary actions. Therefore I doubt that there will be any change in their thinking.
    This in a way is very good for the opposition, provided they take a lesson from Kejriwal and stop direct personal attacks, but attack the BJP on its governance, its anti people and anti constitutional policies and the disastrous state of the economy.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Avinash, Mangalore

    Thu, Feb 13 2020

    Satya, Mangalore .
    Bro Any comments on Congress performance after failing to open account for the 2nd consecutive time?

    DisAgree [4] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Anand R, Mangalore

    Thu, Feb 13 2020

    BJP need to change

    DisAgree [1] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Anand R, Mangalore

    Thu, Feb 13 2020

    Funny

    DisAgree [6] Agree Reply Report Abuse


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