Parliamentary elections 2019 season is upon us and the storyline in the public much in grave discussion is whether BJP will retain its hold on musical chairs. If we have to interpret the mood of voters displayed during 27 by polls of Lok Sabha and assembly elections held in 22 states after 2014, the spate of losses indicates the mood of voters as run-up to the 2019 general elections that remained not favorable to BJP. BJP just managed win in 5 of 27 Lok Sabha seats that went for by polls after Modi regime. One feels helpless to digest the expansion theory of BJP from state to state. The BJP stalwarts never feel shy to speak such a big lie and keep their mission of befooling the people alive by wrong assertions. Out of 22 states BJP could muster its majority just in five states i.e. Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh (Routine rotation). Against BJP's claim of advancing performance, we can rely on 9 states i.e. Maharashtra, J&K (now under Governor rule), Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam, Goa, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh & Tripura that went to elections after Modi wave melodrama, where BJP at its own has to cut a sorry figure but its power lust architected alliance with regional parties. In Delhi, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Punjab, Manipur, Nagaland and Karnataka it suffered a humiliating defeat. All this speaks of clock is ticking towards a change.
It is undeniable actuality that BJP government with Sh. Modi on driver's seat has to account for commitments and achievements to tilt the voters in his kitty. The BJP has very less material to criticize the opposition that was bountiful in 2014. More so voters are in denial mood to endemic the hollow slogans and fake commitments like that of 2014. Contrarily opposition has nothing to lose but power packed with full wagon of bundles of BJP's failures to be shot at BJP as election fodder to the voters. The probable issue that is likely to occupy the bedrock of election campaign is commitment of Modi government of 'Achche Din'. It was a voice that psychologically influenced the voters in 2014. The BJP's promise struck a chord with everyone from farmers seeking to increase their incomes, middle class desiring more and better ways of stress free life, stability in price rise, businessmen anxious for rapid economic growth; unemployed youth looking for two million jobs per year, common man in hopes of 15 Lakh in their individual account, honest population looking for pleasantry moments of black money coming back in country's economy, neat, clean, transparent and criminal free government, befitting reply to anti national forces operating in the country, special mention of J&K in scrapping of article 370, the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the land of their ancestors with full dignity, the long pending problems and demands of refugees from POK. Alas! The government's performance on these issues/promises has been erratic and disappointing.
The other issues from opposition likely to boom against Modi government are; Policy towards Pakistan, farmer's suicide, foreign trips of PM, fifty six inch chest, intolerance issue, atrocities of fake 'Gau-Rakshaks, Goods and Services Tax (GST), demonetization, Lok Pal, politicization of Constitutional posts, attempt to politicize Apex Court by introduction of National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) and some other burning steps, clean Ganga mission, Smart cities, adoption of one village by every MP, Nirav Modi and likewise many more bank fraud. We come across remarks of some politicians that Narendra Modi Government's claim of scam-free rule is questionable, when anti-corruption watchdogs are unable to function with full strength. It's a pity Modi government's war against corruption is only for opposition parties. Moreover the narratives for the elections will be different from state to state. The Modi government is quite blank to rebut the issues.
So the left over option with Modi government is likely to harp on much talked of its policies and schemes. But insight into all these schemes carries us to the era of UPA-I and UPA-II table and these schemes served by Modi government as rebranded and rechristened one, with much fanfare and advertisements. The one rank one pension, implementation of seventh pay commission will also be trumpeted from BJP platter. Generally the people have arrived at Sh. Modi has one very concrete policy and that is the policy of making castles in the air and these castles will fall flat like the falling leaves from the dried tree. So the Modi government in its concluding year will doll out many sops of remission of loans, increase in interest rate on savings, reduction in prices of many commodities including petrol prices.
Here it becomes more important for the voters to have an exhaustive introspection and to ask some vital questions from Mr. Modi, such as; why he has accommodated 31% MPs as minister in the government, who are facing charges of murder, attempt to murder, rape, kidnapping, looting? Is it a government of the poor, marginalized and left behind? Much projected in 2014 election manifesto, when out of the 78 Union Ministers in the Narendra Modi-led Cabinet, 72 are crorepatis, With some ministers worth ranging from Rs 113 crore, 108 crore, 95 crore, Rs 44.90 crore, Rs 35.35 crore, 29.97 crore, with the average assets of the Council of Ministers is Rs 12.94 crore (an analysis of self-sworn affidavits by the Association of Democratic Reforms). Simply the Modi government is the voice of crorepatis but not of poor and down trodden. How the country has been benefitted by his tours of foreign country almost all over the globe? The people expect a transparency about the expenses on foreign tours and outcome of these expenses of tax payer's money. How his demonetization has bettered the Indian economy and who is responsible for approximately 150 deaths because of mindless action of demonetization? What he carry in his mind towards Pakistan? So for there is no concrete policy seen but haphazard decisions? Where are all claims of empowering each and every Indian through health and education? Where are Increasing opportunities by making Job creation central to economic model? What happened to the claims of the ensuring a basic level of infrastructure to all - Home, Electricity, Water, toilets and access? Where are the commitments of 'rural rejuvenation' for restricting rural life about admitted fact of two-thirds of people that live in villages?
As vigilant and betrayed voters it becomes necessary for us to be more careful for 2019 and we have to ensure that we should not fall prey and victimized by the hollow slogans, false commitments that trapped us in 2014. We have to be more careful about vocal announcements and the trickery of hollow but forceful speeches. The much exploitations of religious sentiments based on the name of 'Ram Mandir', 'Ram Setu', 'Ganga clean', 'Gau Raksha', 'article 370', 'Uniform Civil Code' and many more off shoots should not override us. |
