Page 22 - June2018

BJP gears up with new strategy

post Karnataka debacle

The Karnataka elections debacle has made the BJP to tweak its election strategy for 2019. With
Congress becoming an attractive coalition partner among the regional parties, the BJP new focus
is to isolate the former from the allies, writes anil sinha

rime Minister Narendra of Opposition unity.
Modi seems to have a new BJP’s targeting Congress has more
strategy for BJP in 2019 polls. than one reasons behind it. It fits into
The party now appears to be a broad narrative that India has lost
P concentrating on isolating almost its six decades under an “inept
Congress and Rahul Gandhi from other family rule”. It is easy to hold Congress
opposition parties by targeting them responsible for all that which India has
individually. The saffron party is appar- failed to achieve. It helps Modi build an
ently working on a plan that would en- image of the saviour of the country. His
able it to form a government even if it campaign during celebrations on com-
does not get an absolute majority in the pleting his four years of rule testifies the
next Lok Sabha elections. This could be changed strategy of Modi. Addressing
done only in a situation where regional a rally at Cuttack in Odisha he alleged
parties side with the BJP when it con- that the Congress was pursuing a policy
fronts Congress and its allies in post- of “family first instead of country first.”
poll scenario in 2019. “During UPA regime, the Congress
The change, obviously, has come party was running the government
after the party’s failure to install a through remote control. It only gave the
non-Congress government in Karna- slogan of ‘garibi hatao’ but did not serve
taka. The Congress did only success- the poor. Half of the population does
fully block BJP’s way to power in the not have gas electricity or road connec-
state, but also effectively generated a tion,” Modi said.
hope among regional parties that they Modi also accused the Congress of
could capture power in the Centre if not reali singthat poor are not getting
they join hands in opposing Modi and access to banks. “Why didn’t the Con-
are able to prevent splitting of anti-BJP gress ever see that the lives of poor peo- not attend the oath-ceremony of HD
votes. The BJP is now apprehending po- ple also hold value and they also need Kumarswamy, the Karnataka chief
tential threat from Rahul Gandhi as far life insurance?” minister. The BJP became ambitious
as mobili singof diverse political forces When it came to the poor health in 2016 when it had increased its vote
against BJP is concerned. The BJP was infrastructure in Odisha, he refrained share in panchayat polls. However,
expecting a slow and timid response from directly accusing the state gov- it soon realized that this was prema-
from a Rahul led Congress in Karna- ernment which is in power for over one ture to celebrate the success because
taka as had been the case in Goa and and half decade and held UPA govern- the party had to face a drubbing in an
Manipur. However, Rahul Gandhi acted ment responsible for it. Modi said, “Situ- assembly poll which was held soon
with speed and stitched an alliance ation is worse here in Odisha. I wonder after the panchayat polls.
with the JDS without losing any time. what were the previous governments In another public meeting in Uttar
This move changed the scenario at the doing? If the state governments do not Pradesh, he targeted the Nehru-Gan-
state as well as at the national level. carry out their responsibilities properly, dhi family. This seems to be a part of the
All the important regional formations the centre does it.” fresh campaign the Sangh Parivar has
came together to celebrate the installa- Odisha Chief Minister has been fol- launched against the first prime minis-
tion of a non-BJP government. This was lowing a policy of equidistance from ter of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. The same
meant to send a loud and clear message both BJP and the Congress. He did old allegations of purported disrespect

tehelka / 15 june 2018 22 www.tehelka.com

22-23 Anil Sinha.indd 2 06/06/18 1:17 PM