The comprehensive win in all four states: Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa (by the BJP) indicates that the BJP and P.M. Modi are unassailable. They are at their peak in voters’ hearts. Many political pundits are attributing this win to welfare schemes viz. free-ration, DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer of cash to the poor), hard work of the cadre and coordinated party effort. Above all in the case of U.P., “law and order” provided by the bulldozer Baba by targeting Mafia Gangs added value to this political dividend. Hence, the safety and security of women and also men in the businessmen, who do their work late night, ensured the stupendous victory. People’s verdict was for: perform or perish.
To win an election in any state: a credible face, a clear narrative (on what the party stands for) and cadre- support are the prime requisites. P.M. Narendra Modi’s face is the face of the party. His presence was larger than life in all four states that went to polls. He energetically campaigned. The P.M. narrated the party’s poll plank. This kind of story-telling about the party’s perspectives to people, is intrinsic to politics. Especially, in U.P. he cautioned people against the earlier regime of Samajwadi Party and the kind of nefarious forces that it unleashed, when in power. The prime minister’s speeches were vociferously against the major and minor political dynasties in the country. In India, in each state and at the Centre these dynasts have been running their fiefdoms.
Like inheritance of property from parent to offspring, the power baton is passed on from father to son/daughter/niece/nephew but not to any eligible member within the party. For any family-dynastic-party, the youth means not the youngsters that come to politics, but their own children. The family shares the spoils of power. P.M. Modi had successfully conveyed to people to break all these citadels, especially in U.P. In any democracy, if the election result goes against the party, the leader of the party has to resign and leadership is changed, but not in dynastic parties like: Samajwadi or the Congress. The dynasts are always entitled to be commanders, as they are family-run parties. This does not augur well for democracies.
Merely showing face before elections, being in Ivory-Towers with no connect with the cadre, non-availability to redress grievances and infights within the party, aloofness and living only with a small limited coterie- built-in with yes-men, that only show the surreal world, had cost the Congress dearly. As a result, in Punjab Aam Admi Party (AAP) has with its new brooms swept Congress clean. All opposition parties are now blaming the Congress for not being able to stand firmly and fight with the BJP. For, a democracy needs along with ruling the opposition. Though, the BJP have had an infirm and dysfunctional opposition in Congress, now, with this election it (Congress party) has been shredded into smithereens. Congress’ pocket-boroughs i.e. Amethi and Rae Bareli are taken away by the BJP into its kitty. Indeed, a humiliating defeat for Congress!
Certainly, the opposition and other civil rights organizations raised certain issues. They are pertaining to U.P. like: Hathras, Lakhimpur Kheri, Covid-19 handling, dead bodies floating in Ganga etc. However, the oppositions’ disunity, no cohesive narrative and tainted baggage of the past have affected their image and the messaging. People do not like mere questioning. They need answers, as to what they would have done in power. Though the first two issues are in the court, on the issue of Covid- 19 deaths, the P.M., explained and normalized everything by saying that all countries had to grapple with the pandemic and India was no exception to Covid-horrors.
The women- voters, in fact, praised the prime minister by saying: khana diya, ration diya, surakhisth rakha (safe from Covid-19 by lockdown). They did not blame him for frequent prolonged lockdowns that led to losing daily earnings. In each rally in Uttar Pradesh the prime minister reminded: as to how the earlier government of Akhilesh Yadav was negligent of law and order and gave fillip to gangsters. He lauded Yogi Adityanath for dismantling the mafia to establish law and order. Women got security by the building of toilets, as it would be risky to go out early morning and night to outside. He also reminded how Samajwadi party had filled in all high places with their family-members in their government, just to show how nepotism was practiced. Finally, to the credit of the prime minister, the double-engine Sarkars are established in all four states the BJP won. Hard-work pays. It is an easier success march for the BJP in 2024.