Page 35 - 31MAR2019E

of Gandhi Ji’s historic Dandi March,
the Congress Working Committee in
Ahmedabad, resolved to defeat the RSS/
BJP ideology of fascism, hatred, anger
& divisiveness. No sacrifice is too great
in this endeavour; no effort too little;
this battle will be won.” The tweet came
at a time when the larger opposition is
urging the Congress to form potential
anti-BJP alliances in states where it is still
possible.

The probable strategy
Electoral victory of Congress in Punjab
assembly polls and better performance
in Gujarat assembly polls in 2017 and
electoral triumph in three states of Hindi
heartland — Chhattisgarh, Madhya
Pradesh and Rajasthan — in 2018 under
the leadership of Rahul Gandhi proved
his political acumen. Rahul Gandhi’s parties across the country. trends in most of the opinion polls
ability to garner support from Dalit Some analysts have suggested that conducted prior to the second week
leader Jignesh Mevani and Patidar while continuing perpetual harping on of February this year. However, the
leader Hardik Patel was said to be the the Rafale deal and the war cry “chowk- post-Balakot manifestation of ‘muscular
key to his Gujarat strategy which saw idar chor hai”(the watchman is a thief) nationalism’ pioneered by PM Modi with
the Congress giving a run to the BJP to attack PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi should two slogans dominating his rhetoric —
for its money in the last state assembly devote equal emphasis on talking about hum ghar mein ghus ke maarege and
election. Nevertheless, some analysts the real and urgent issues of job creation, Modi hai to mumkin hai (has proved
lament that Congress is seemingly sunk agrarian distress, the effects of demon- instrumental in changing the national
in a complacent stupor in the wake of etization to negate the impact of the BJP’s narrative and diverting public attention
party-infightings, desertions of regional Post-Pulwamanarrative of muscular from the perennial problematic issues
leaders in the states of Gujarat, Maha- nationalism. These analysts are sanguine and providing the BJP a strategic edge
rashtra, Karnataka etc., which can be said about post-CWC meet Congress emerg- over its major rivals albeit for the time
to have squandered the momentum the ing as a catalyst for deepening chemistry being. The issue of national security has
party had garnered after winning three with the non-BJP Opposition and work- seemingly gained salience over other
Hindi heartland states. ing out successful arithmetical outcome. issues in the post-Balakot period.
These critics also point out Rahul Some observers opine that Rahul According to a CVoter-IANS poll sur-
Gandhi’s inability thus far in striking al- Gandhi’s strategy of terming the up- vey conducted recently in post-Balakot
liances across the country with a view of coming Lok Sabha elections a contest period, unemployment was rated as the
making every constituency a local elec- between the Congress’ ideology of most important issue, by as much as 29
tion and pitching one consensus candi- inclusivity and Prime Minister Narendra per cent of the population in January, but
date against the BJP. On the other hand, Modi and the RSS ideology of fear and had fallen to 22 per cent after the Balakot
they assert the BJP’s strategy of having hatred, in tandem with his promise of a strikes; while the importance of national
forged alliance with Shiv Sena and AI- minimum income guarantee scheme for security had gone up from 2.6 per cent
ADMK and other regional satraps. While all the poor in the country if the party is in January to 26 per cent in early this
disagreeing with this argument, another voted to power, holds better prospects March. Undoubtedly, the BJP may expect
segment of critics say that Congress for garnering votes for the party, provid- to make some electoral gains in the
president is yet to open up his strategic ed this strategy is taken at the grassroots Hindi heartland by aggressive projection
trump card of forging alliances and hav- level by the party cadres. . of its muscular nationalism in the post-
ing tactical understanding with regional Balakot phase; nevertheless, Congress
satraps across the country and they are Way forward after its Ahmedabad CWC meeting has
quite sanguine about proliferation of this Prior to the occurrence of Pulwama crossed the tough roads to give the BJP a
strategy in days to come, especially after terrorist attack and Air strike by IAF on run for its money.
having been authorized recently by the Balakot, the electoral prospects of the
CWC to foster alliances with like-minded BJP-led NDA were reflecting downward letters@tehelka.com

tehelka / 31 march 2019 35 www.tehelka.com