Page 21 - English Tehelka Issue 6 - March 31, 2018

CoverStory politics

the congress has been
the country. Yet, the CPM could only offer its empty stint as Chief Minister. The ruling CPM, which had Congress President Rahul Gandhi by tweeting
rhetoric of egalitarian revolution. The Left’s outdated 48.11 per cent votes in 2013 election, managed 42.6 that “elections were perhaps being held in Italy”,
ideology of an egalitarian revolution stood nowhere per cent vote share this time, but the Left Front was taking a jibe over Congress chiefs visit to his ailing like a deer caught in the
before the BJP’s strategic move to promise develop- trounced in the numbers game, dropping from 50 to ‘nani’ in Italy .
ment and change. The 25 years of Left rule in Tripura just 16 seats. The Congress was decimated — it had 10 headlights while the
has now collapsed as BJP has stormed the Commu- seats and 36.53 per cent vote share in 2013, but drew Deer caught in headlights
nist citadel to secure a two-thirds majority in the a blank this time. Ironically, the Congress has been like a deer caught BJp learnt the formula
60-member House ending Manik Sarkar’s four-term Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet: in the headlights as the grand old party was left
“This journey from ‘Shunya’ to ‘Shikhar’ has high and dry in Meghalaya despite emerging as the of forming governments
been made possible due to a solid develop - single largest party. Conrad Sangma-led National
ment agenda and the strength of our organi - People’s Party has assumed office with the BJP as
zation”. BJP president Amit Shah said his par- a partner. This habit of being always the bridesmaid, after governments
ty’s impressive victory was a sign of things to never the bride, it seems has become the signa-
come in the next few elections and had ener- ture style of the Congress. It was in Manipur where
gised party cadres for the 2019 elections. How- with 28 seats and being the single largest party, it
ever, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury gave way to a politically alert BJP which cobbled
alleged that the BJP used “money and muscle up majority. It happened in Goa assembly where
power in Tripura”. Congress was the single largest party with 17 seats
to the BJP’s 13, but again the agile BJP was able to
Conceding space form the government with like-minded legisla -
It is clear that BJP’s gains in Tripura and Nagaland tors. The Congress has been like a deer caught in
came at the cost of the Congress which conceded the headlights while the BJP learnt the formula
space to the saffron party. The Congress revival of forming governments after governments. In
in Gujarat, the by-election wins for Congress Meghalaya, with just two seats to boast of, it played
in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the the kingmaker.
emergence of Rahul Gandhi may have
given the impression that Modi magic Results and after
was waning. No more. The fact is that the North- The BJP had given the catchy slogan of “ Congress
East results have dissipated some of the mo - Mukt Bharat” but now it emerges that for any in -
mentum Rahul Gandhi gained after Gujarat The cumbent state government ruled by non-BJP par-
North-East results mean that not all is lost for ties, it would be difficult to take on aggression of the
the BJP. In the 2013 assembly polls, it won just party at the Centre. The BJP’s motive of creating an
1.5 per cent vote-share and zero seats. To raise Opposition-free nation is becoming a reality. The
the bar to 43 per cent of vote-share on its own coming together of secular and democratic par - • together they win The
• All is not rosy Tough steam appears incredible. The BJP won not only ties with a common minimum programme can SP-BSP alliance paid off
roads are ahead for the urban areas around Agartala but also perhaps work. Two developments in the aftermath in Bihar and UP polls
Conrad Sangma tribal areas across south, central and east - of the saffron sweep in the North-East are note-
ern Tripura. The trend continued in Nagaland worthy. One is that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
too where it won 12 seats with 15.3 per cent chief Mayawati who has hitherto been averse to
vote-share (up from 1.8 per cent). The strategic
the left’s outdated alliance with the National Democratic Progressive pre-poll alliances has extended support to her bete fortunes in Andhra Pradesh, the State that sends
noire Samajwadi Party in Phulpur and Gorakhpur
ideology of an Party which registered victory in 16 seats showed Lok Sabha by-elections in Uttar Pradesh. Though 25 members to the Lok Sabha. As a co-incidence,
she has made it clear that this does not amount to a
the entire North-Eastern states send as many
the craftsmanship of the party. In Meghalaya no
formal alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha election, but
members to the Lok Sabha. It would be interesting
political party has ever won an absolute major -
egalitarian revolution ity since 1976. Even in this state, the BJP has signifi- realization seems to have dawned on her that the to watch how politics evolves in different states post
the North-East onslaught by the BJP.
BSP needs to back the strongest Opposition party to
cantly increased its vote share from 1.3 per cent to
Meanwhile, in the Hindi heartland, the winning
stood nowhere before 9.6 per cent. take on the BJP. It could be the beginning of a new era experiment of the SP-BSP alliance for the by-polls
in politics.
Northeastern states account for 25 Lok Sabha
Amidst the razing of Lenin statue in the North-
BJp’s strategic move to seats and BJP will be hoping to offset possible East, desecration of Ambedkar’s in Uttar Pradesh could mean a bigger alliance for the next general
electoral losses in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh or
election. The shocking debacle of the BJP in the UP
promise development elsewhere with gains in this region. The party and BJP trying damage control, another develop- and Bihar by-ellections could serve as encourage-
ment for Opposition parties to form an alliance to
has done well to not ignore small states. Prime
ment of significance was the TDP’s decision to
Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit
defeat the surge of the saffron party.
pull out its ministers from the Modi government.
and change Shah addressed more election rallies than any This certainly not only plays a spoiler in the BJP’s letters@tehelka.com
Congress leader, past or present, even chiding
celebrations, it also casts a shadow over its poll
Tehelka / 31 march 2018 20 www.Tehelka.com Tehelka / 31 march 2018 21 www.Tehelka.com
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