The high voltage
elections of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh came to end after its results were
published yesterday. The BJP has not only retained Gujarat with a clear
majority, but also wrested Himachal from the Congress. In this article, I will
focus on various X- factors which were present in the Gujarat polls and on how
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s electrifying campaigning in the last lap titled
the scales for the BJP in the western state.
BATTLE FOR GUJARAT – THE VARIOUS FACTORS
THAT HAUNTED THE BJP
The State BJP
was left without an authoritative, second-rung leadership after the departure
of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to the Centre in 2014. Both Anandiben Patel, the
former Chief Minister as well as Vijay Rupani, the incumbent CM had proved
incable to fill the huge void left by the Prime Minister Modi. Modi’s
outstanding performance as Gujarat CM for more than 13 years has set the bar
very high for the successors which proved too much for the BJP state
leadership. This was evident in their failure to address the Patidar Agitation
and the Una incidents which gave opposition a chance to play its divisive
politics.
At the same
time, Congress lost no time in roping up the forces like Hardik Patel, Alpesh
Thakor and Jignesh Mevani to divide the Hindus on caste lines inorder to
counter the BJP. This divisive politics unfortunately gained mileage from the
misinformation campaign run by the left-liberals and the Lutyens media which
wanted a weakened Modi.
It also was
widely reported that the trading community was angry with the BJP for its
decisions, namely demonetization and GST. The fight against black money and
course correction for economy by a unified taxation system was misrepresented
by the media as a poor economic policy. Hence, it was excepted the Congress
would benefit from the discontent in the industrial belt for south and urban
Gujarat.
MODI’S CAMPAIGN SAVED THE BJP.
Modi started the
campaign on November 27 from Bhuj, located close to the Pakistan border. He
addressed 34 rallies till December 11 which gained edge for the BJP overriding
all other factors, concentrating on:-
·
Nationalism
as the trump card.
Gujarat, being
predominantly Hindu and located close to Pakistan is always vigilant about the
national security. It was the factor that worked for the BJP when the people
remembered the Indian Army’s surgical strikes in POK in the aftermath of Uri in
comparison with the response to 26/11. The people were reminded about Modi’s
strong leadership in concerns with the security of the state coupled with his
handling of law and order in tenure as the Chief Minister. The Congress
leaders’ meeting with the Pakistani officials and Pakistan’s alleged role in
Gujarat elections caught the opposition on a stick wicket.
·
Gujarati
Asmita – “Gujarati pride”
The Gujaratis
are always proud about the fact that the incumbent Prime Minister of India
hails from their state. The Mani Shankar Aiyar’s comment about Modi, hurting
the Gujarati honour has backfied for the Congress. The Prime Minister lost no
chance in snatching the opportunity, turning it into a referendum for his
leadership.
· Modi’s
developmental Agenda
Prime Minister
Modi commands respect and popularity among all sections of voters for his track
record as the Chief Minister and now as the Prime Minister. People, who even
don’t like the BJP cherish Modi’s pet schemes which made Gujarat a
developmental model which could be replicated throughout India. People also
feared a Congress comeback would turned the clock back to 1980s when anarchy
was prevalent due to caste conflicts in the state.
CONCLUSION
Prime Minister
Narendra Modi in single handed manner have snatched the narrative from the
opposition to see that BJP sailed past the finishing line quite comfortably in
the end. This underlines the fact that the PM is the most potent weapon
available for the party. Nationalism, Gujarati Asmita and developmental record
has helped Modi, but BJP must be more careful when it approaches 2019. It has
to ready itself to set the narrative rather than allowing the opposition to do
so. Only then, it would emerge triumphant out of the vicious cycle of divisive
politics played by the “sickular” parties.
