The “Pappu” has not only become the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, but his India bloc has made the BJP lose many seats in the recently held by-polls.
The fact that the India bloc has been able to continue its winning spree even in the by-polls is something that must be extremely worrying for Modi and the BJP.
The just completed general elections where the India bloc did extremely well even though they did not get a majority (though no one expected them to completely rout the BJP behemoth) they were able to cut the BJP to size by making it a minority party dependent on other parties to run a coalition government. Modi’s style of functioning has to be drastically changed if he has to manage a successful coalition government. The JDU its coalition partner is already flexing its muscles demanding special status.
If their demand is not fulfilled. You do not know what steps they will take. The BJP is ready to enhance the financial package for Bihar but is not willing to give Special status to the state as it would open a Pandora’s box.
This state of affairs must be already causing heartburn to the BJP. Forcing the BJP and Modi-Amit Shah duo to introspect and find out what went wrong and why the BJP juggernaut had been halted by the voters.
The by-polls coming soon after and giving no good news to BJP, with BJP winning just three seats of the ten seats which went to polls, must make the BJP and Modi realise that given a “sensible alternative” even so called committed voters may dump BJP switch sides.
Clearly, voters feel they have had a taste of BJP and given them a chance to rule for ten long years but now would not mind giving a chance to an alternative.
The India bloc parties are working slowly but surely getting hold of many a seat considered BJP stronghold.
Who would think that a seat like Badrinath, a bastion of Hinduism will be lost to the BJP, this bypoll. That came soon after Ayodhya was lost by the BJP during the General elections where one thought Ayodhya and Ram Mandir would be the plank on which the BJP ride high crossing the so called “400 Paar”.
Clearly the Hindu voter is sending a message that BJP must put its House in order. Just anti-Muslim talk and not looking after the necessities of people like unemployment, price rises are not going to work anymore. Religious and emotional appeals without anything else to show on the report card do not hold true anymore.
The India bloc’s sustained efforts to keep the elections focussed on the bread and butter issues and not get embroiled in the emotional issues, I think plays a great role in its wins.
Another thing that helps the India bloc is clearly the getting together of various parties with a single aim to dethrone the Modi-BJP regime.
The consolidation of all anti-BJP votes together particularly that of minorities including Muslims is further aggravating the situation for the BJP which is seen in the results of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.
The BJP must completely overhaul itself if it wants to see its hey days once more. The dictatorial, autocratic politics and putting Opposition leaders into jail is not being appreciated by the electorate, as it would seem from the results.
For the BJP which had always been credited with titles like “The party with a difference” “The party with a clean image” seems to get a dent with issues like electoral bonds and not fulfilling many of its poll promises.
As far a India bloc is concerned the fact that they continue to garner seats even in the first test of the mood of the electors after the general elections is something that the BJP and Modi must be worried about. Continuation of this kind of trend may spell disaster for BJP.
In the by-polls Opposition INDIA bloc won 10 out of the 13 seats. Just 2 seats were won by BJP and one seat by an Independent.
The by-elections took place in the Assembly constituencies across Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu. At least the results show that the wave is going against BJP.
In Jalandhar West, AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat defeated BJP’s Sheetal Angural, while in Dehra by-poll, Kamlesh Thakur, wife of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, defeated BJP candidate Hoshyar Singh.
In Uttarakhand (Badrinath seat): Congress’ Lakhapat Singh Butola (Winner) by just a margin of 5,224 votes.
Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress won all four seats of West Bengal that went to bypolls. The Congress has bagged four seats – two each in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. The Aam Aadmi Party won the lone seat in Punjab. An Independent candidate won Bihar’s Rupauli seat.
What should really be worrying BJP is the upcoming elections in the States. Which way will they go?
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