BJP on the Top, After a Stunning Victory in Haryana

The outcomes of the Haryana and J&K elections have sent out some important messages to the political parties. Firstly, the election outcome has rendered the exit polls irrelevant. Politicians were left gobsmacked by the results. Especially the Congress party, which celebrated prematurely had to face the worst kind of humiliation with proud proclamations exposing their arrogance. The party had to eat its words to save its face, and the results contradicted their expectations.

None of the exit polls could even have had the slightest whiff about BJP’s victory in Haryana. Social media experts, keyboard warriors couldn’t see this coming. The wave of 10-year pro-incumbency turning into a booming electoral mandate and conferring an absolute majority has been an absolute stunner. Haryana had the precedent of never re-electing an incumbent government. This trend has changed in the last decade. With a third consecutive win, the BJP has scripted history.

Secondly, India is a vibrant democracy and the voting pattern and the electoral outcomes have a significant message for the political parties. Notwithstanding the several underlying factors, the politics of performance is being rewarded. Parties sensitive to people’s needs and developmental aspirations are being voted back to power. People are now appreciative of the perks of the development. But herein, lies a caveat though. While a developmental agenda is highly favoured, this time around, what worked in favour of the BJP was the silent mobilisation of the electorate before the elections. The invisible force that has put the BJP in the pole position is the RSS.

Thirdly, buoyed by the comeback in Lok Sabha elections, besides deeming any kind of alliance with INDIA bloc parties as redundant, the Congress party gave into the tantrums of the state unit known for its nepotism and favouritism. The party failed to work as a coordinated unit. A fight for the leadership role created dissensions within the party with one group sidelining the other. The internal factions took a toll on the electoral outcome, a floundered candidate selection and the absence of a well laid out framework to address the local issues has cost the Congress party dearly.

Once bitten and twice shy BJP which underestimated the impact of the misinformation propaganda and the impact of the incendiary rhetoric of the opposition during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, had worked twice hard in terms of dispelling the false propaganda. Perceptive of the lies peddled especially about the Agniveer scheme, the BJP unequivocally made its stance clear. Immediately after the elections, the BJP-run state government announced job reservations for Agniveers. To appease the disgruntled farmers, Haryana announced MSP procurement for 24 crops.

Identifying the problem areas the BJP had attempted to remedy them well ahead of the elections. Undeterred by the setback in the General Elections, the well-oiled BJP election machinery, quickly returned to the board rooms to redraw the election strategy. BJP has replaced three-fourths of existing MLAs and gave tickets to new candidates. Maintaining a dynamic caste balance, the BJP reached out to all sections of the society.

The record tally of 48 seats was one more than the highest ever. BJP worked in tandem with the RSS and actively involved their functionaries in the election strategies.

Fourthly, the BJP managed to nail the real culprit- the poll narrative. Riding high on the developmental achievements to showcase, the BJP allowed the ground to slip under its feet by failing to take on the misinformation propaganda horns during the Lok Sabha elections. Having paid a heavy price, the BJP renewed its ground connection and held meetings with different communities to address the traditional faultlines.

BJP was quick to realise the impact of the anti-India, divisive conspiracies propagated vehemently before the General elections. This was evident from PM Modi’s reference to the same in his address to the party workers after the Haryana victory. Perhaps, for the first time, the Prime Minister unambiguously remarked about a looming threat, “For some time now, many conspiracies are being hatched against India. Many conspiracies are being hatched to weaken India's democracy and social fabric. International conspiracies are being hatched. National parties like Congress and their allies are involved in this game. Today Haryana has given a befitting reply to every such conspiracy. Every Indian will have to take a pledge that we will not let any such conspiracy succeed. India will not deviate from the path of development”¹.

As a matter of fact, PM Modi would have talked about it on June 4^th. But then, fresh from an improved performance, the exalted opposition having denied BJP an absolute majority for the third consecutive time would have deemed any vindication as a ‘ political victimhood tactic’. However, with a resounding victory in Haryana, Modi deemed it fit to expose the Congress party’s divisive agenda.

Fifthly, the narrative of the ‘constitution under threat’ and ‘democracy backsliding’ seems to have outlived its utility in political discourse. With the lie failing to offer a better developmental alternative, people are now becoming increasingly sceptical of Congress. Financially sinking Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh and a scam-ridden Karnataka government presenting a stark contrast of clean governance and corruption between both parties have forced people to rethink their electoral choices.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s statement of “will die only after removing PM Modi from power” as opposed to PM Modi’s genuine enquiry about the former’s health displayed the Congress party’s hate and fear of the BJP and exposed the unbreachable political enmity.

Sixthly, for the first time since independence, elections were held in Jammu & Kashmir under the ambit of the Indian Constitution. Peaceful, transparent and fair conduct of the polls reinforced trust in India’s electoral process. The spurious doubts and suspicions ignited by the vested interests in Indian institutions including against the Election Commission of India have been demolished.

While NC and Congress alliance is all set to form the government, BJP has emerged as the single largest party in terms of the vote share in J&K. Bettering its 2014 performance, BJP has increased both the number of seats and vote share.

Seventhly, the political contours are varied across different states. So, the dynamics and the interplay of different aspects had to be carefully strategised for an electoral victory. Using the same political tropes for every election without an affirmative developmental agenda has backfired for the Congress.

Giving back in the same coin, the BJP astutely used Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on “scraping reservation” made at the National Press Club in the US to upset the Congress Party’s applecart. Contentious, divisive and sectarian politics should never become the byline of any political party. It has a limited purpose.

Eightly, Congress made the fatal mistake of misinterpreting BJP’s electoral mandate of 2024 as a rejection of the people. They underestimated the organisational capability of the BJP and their ability to quickly bounce back.

With a stunning win, the BJP has restored its dominance in the Hindi North Belt. A win in Haryana and a good performance in J&K have certainly rejuvenated the BJP cadres. The results have injected an element of positivity in the BJP cadres haunted by the shadow of the 2024 general elections. By snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, the BJP has scripted a psychological victory.

Opposition can no longer be complacent. A reinvigorated BJP can deal a debilitating blow to the opponents in the upcoming Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi assembly elections. A direct electoral battle with BJP can never be an easy walkover. Unlike other parties, the BJP takes every election seriously and puts its best foot forward.

But by and large, NC victory in J&K may not be good news for BJP and the country given their past record of plunging the Kashmir valley into deep crisis with their missteps. A hung verdict would have been the best scenario. BJP must now make political investments to increase its presence in the valley else its development vision and efforts to integrate the region will be undone.

A country teeming with 1.4 billion people aspiring to become the third-largest economy in the World certainly needs a better political discourse. It is time, that the Congress party and its ilk realise the futility of perpetrating sectarian and contentious agenda for their political gains. The country expects better standards from the political parties.

@ Copyrights reserved.