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| Why BJP failed to reach Aam Aadmi | | | Daya Sagar
15th Lok Sabha Elections have surprised all , particularly the way Congress has risen to 206 level and BJP has fallen to 116. The total joint score of Congress and BJP is around 320 .The opinion polls that were out after 13th May too placed a nearly similar sum total for both BJP and Congress. No doubt one opinion poll placed BJP at the higher level where as the other placed Congress at the higher level. One thing common that both opinion polls had was that the sum total for both Congress and BJP was nearly same. Yes people were expecting that this time voter citizen may show some rejection for the smaller parties as well as regional parties. Though all regional parties have not faired that badly but still it could be said that major loss this time has been to regional parties and small parties on the over all. Congress has this time more numbers, can work some what freely, blackmailers will feel weak. No doubt still there will be atleast about 70 outsiders that Congress will have to still carry.
Many opinions have been expressed. It shall be too early to make any firm conclusions as regards the emerging mindset of the voter . One thing that I think can be still inferred is that people have started laying preference on stability in governance, may be seeing national issues more secure in the hands of national parties . Even regional interests could be given better economic coverage by a party that could also provide stable government at center.
But there could be questions that still need answer. ::::: “ Why has Congress and not the BJP emerged with more success ( MPs) or, as a larger / national level preferred party ?. Why has the affect of rejection of small and local parties been more on BJP lead NDA ? Why did the gains go more to Congress/UPA ?
Compared to Congress BJP has smaller base in Southern and Eastern India . BJP did do some work to spread its cadres across South & East. But the efforts have not been enough. But later the programmes of BJP got diluted after NDA gained power at New Delhi in 1999. Interests of NDA allies retarded BJP expansion. More over BJP contested lesser number of seats on all India basis. So for power BJP had to rely more on NDA allies in south/east/west (area that has 225 seats in Lok Sabha). Therefore, may be the voter citizen could consider BJP a smaller unit in comparison to Congress.
BJP tried to display “over sincerity to Nation” or I would say tried to play as “Super nationalist”. BJP appeared to show more concern to safeguard the rights of the majority community of India ( HINDU) .But the Hindu did not take much notice of issues addressed by BJP as issues of larger national interest while deciding to vote for new Government. On the other hand Muslims firmly believe that the Hindu ( that too particularly BJP leaders) raises fingers on all Muslims when ever there is some anti national / social terrorist Act. BJP leadership has not dealt this aspect at social levels. Some one has to wisely and humbly tell that when no one else speaks of the miseries of masses ( majority of whom is Hindu) some one has to speak. BJP failed to reach the innocent common man with questions like : Has any muslim leader so far spoken about issues where one is neglected simply being from majority community ????....... Has any muslim leader demanded execution of the sentence of AFZAL ???? Essence of the word SECULAR has not been properly carried to all religious units in India. So far only meaning of the secular that the religious minorities of India appear to understand is that any one speaking for the cause of masses ( majority in India is HINDU ) is not secular and only those who call for special treatment at the cost of State exchequer to only Non Hindu are secular. And to add to all this even the NDA allies like JDU / SAD indirectly contributed to strengthen the allegations on BJP being non secular. Nitish Kumar not welcoming Narendra Modi to Gujrat would have surely misconduct many innocent Muslim voters.
Majority of the Hindu is economically poor. The issues that concern integrity and security of nation are not his immediate concern. Being a religious majority this class ( Hindu) does not flock for security in the name of religion as do the other Religious minorities. Instead the majority of Hindu get further exploited in the name of caste, region and unemployment. Rich urban Hindu is more for increasing its money income. A good portion of the Indian middle class comprises of the government servants, academicians and service class. This class is major share holder in Corrupted Public Resources .The trueness of larger issues that matter for nation hence does not get carried to common man who form the bulk of vote bank. BJP overlooked the importance of lucrative actions like VI th pay Commission and waver of loans of farmers / others as were taken by Congress lead government and cleverly used during election campaign. Where as BJP had no any programme to compete with tools like VIth Pay Commission, NREGA, Rs.60000 Crore farmer loan waiver. The limited advantage of NREGA and no direct advantage of loan waiver to the poor could have been used in campaign.
BJP did not attend to issues that matter most for the majority of Indian voter ( who is economically week and have only low cost issues as priority for his survival ) . The issues like unemployment, self employment , rural schools, basic educations, requirement of two square means, shelter , health care, water and like were not made frontal issues by BJP. BJP had earlier lost the game in 2004 when it trumpeted “India Shining” . So BJP could not catch on what matters to the 50 crore Indian voter. No work was done at ground level by BJP leaders assuring / providing material benefit to economically weaker masses and unemployed. Interests of the R e T ( sarba shikha abhiyaan) teachers and low paid labour getting just Rs..70 a day. BJP nearly overlooked problems and needs of the economically weak people who are first concerned about their food, shelter and employment. Larger national issues do matter but after the stomach is filled.
BJP is just in thirties where as Congress has over 100 years memorable history. So inspite of weak cadres and undemocratic policies as regards party cadres Congress name could still fascinate the majority of India . Congress inherits the names of Gandhi , Nehru., Tilak, Gokhale, Subash . But After 1947 Congress promoted only Nehru and Gandhi ( this too only since Indira had married Feroz and Feroz adopted the sub caste Gandhi ).Congress is identified with the Independence movement and it’s name is well in the knowledge of even the most illiterate Indian people.
Sacrifice of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sentimentally moves every Indian. Congress needs not much efforts for introducing its name to a common Indian. There are many welfare schemes for the poor , rural India, the aged, the women, the children, drinking water, subsidized food / shelter, etc named after , Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Kasturba Gandhi. This is of a great advantage to Congress party in wooing the common Indian in its favour .Many poor and backward Indian people are even carried with the impression that the benefits are being extended from Nehru Gandhi family and not by the State. Congress has been able to draw preferential political advantage out of the good that the centrally sponsored schemes could do to the poor people. Centrally / State sponsored welfare / financial assistance schemes have been intelligently used by the Congress leaders to reach the masses ..BJP leaders have made not even half efforts for the use of Centrally / State sponsored welfare programmes for the poor to increase the cadre / vote base across the length and breadth of India.
Slackness of BJP cadres too has been reflected. Over confidence in the commitment of associate / sister allies like that as from RSS family could be the other reason. Even RSS cadres appear isolated and over possessed. The leaders and cadres appear suffering from lack of open mindedness .
BJP had no programme worth fascinating the Minority /Caste Vote bank. Instead the display of “over sincerity to Nation” was used by other parties to project BJP as a communal Hindu minded party. It is general belief that BJP is a non secular HINDU centric party. Even some SIKH leaders took a strong objection to RSS chief saying that there is no difference between HINDU and SIKH. No one from BJP further took such causes at social levels. Politicians have succeeded in dividing even HINDU as Dalit and Swarn ( Brahmin/ Thakur ).This has compelled even a party like Congress to walk at occasions on such divisive lines to preserve its vote bank. BJP failed to conduct election campaign that could win poor, illiterate, backward and rural voter who looked more at Roti , Kapda aur Makaan than on issues like inflation, national security and militancy. India today does not suffer of any communal disharmony . But it is also true that the unchecked militancy and terrorist activities promoted by enemies of India could promote distrust and suspicions amongst the communities. No doubt such issues can not be left unattended, but vote bank politics surely has some other issues as well that matter more to a voter in a developing economy like India.
(Author, a social activist and Columnists on Kashmir affairs, can be reached [email protected])
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