M Chuba Ao, national vice president, BJP
Much hype has been created over the mandate in Karnataka. The media including in the western countries are trying to drive home a signal that the Congress has emerged as a key victorious party and our BJP has been vanquished. Of course, the Congress has won a massive mandate in Karnataka but in no way this poll outcome signals anything for the BJP Karyakartas to feel demoralised. Reasons are many and I will try to highlight a few.
In 2022, we had won massive victories in states such as Uttar Pradesh. In the process we returned to power in the most populous state in north India that sends 80 lawmakers to Lok Sabha. The power of PM Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was almost magical. The BJP also retained power in neighboring Uttarakhand, known as the Devbhumi or land of Gods and also in critical state of Manipur in the northeast and Goa on the west coast -- with both states having sizable Christian population.
It is true the Congress party has still to grapple on how to take on Prime Minister Modi’s mass popularity and the electoral might of the BJP built up by thousands of Karyakartas like us under the guidance of Shri Modi ji and also Home Minister Amit Shah ji, BJP president J P Nadda ji and BJP general secretary (Organisation) Shri B L Santhosh ji.
The media should not forget that between 2020 and 2022, Rahul Gandhi and Congress party – also supported by Priyanka Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi ended up on the losing side in nine of the 10 state assembly elections.
The Congress was reduced to ruling just two states Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and now it has added Karnataka. The marginalisation of Congress needs deeper studies but the media seemed to have decided to make a mountain out of a mole hill. The law of the average also does better.
Look how
Since May 2019 when Narendra Modi returned to power for the second time, the Karnataka poll outcome was only the second victory for Rahul Gandhi and the Congress. The first was Himachal Pradesh in December 2022. Even Congres leaders have admitted that in both Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, the Congress victories were largely attributed to local factors. So where is the Rahul Gandhi angle?
On our part, we, the BJP, could win 15 assembly polls out of 25 since 2019 and in West Bengal, we have emerged now as the second largest party and chief competitor to incompetent Mamata Banerjee regime. Moreover, the Congress and communists in 2021 assembly polls in TMC-ruled state were reduced to zero. It was truly historic. In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, we won 18 from West Bengal and this time we may do much better to increase our overall national tally.
During these years, we are now a serious contestant in Telangana as well and here our competitor will be BRS and Congress may end up in the third position. We have similar story from Andhra Pradesh.
In other words, the BJP’s continued electoral successes since 2014 have led to the increased marginalisation of the Congress, which ruled India for about six decades since its independence in 1947. Even the communists are now in much weaker wicket though the Leftists could retain Kerala in 2021 denying Congress the usual chance (in five years) to come back.
From statistics and theoretical views, the Congress was expected to wrestle power from the BJP in Manipur, Goa and Uttarakhand but it failed in 2022. Earlier this year, Congress tally was not encouraging in Meghalaya and it scored zero for two consecutive polls in Nagaland.
Till over a year and half back, Congress was considered with some base and strengths in Punjab; but it failed miserably again and ended up losing power in Punjab to Aam Aadmi Party.
Also, there is no need to link Lok Sabha elections of 2024 to Karnataka won by Congress. In 2013, the Congress did very well in Karnataka polls and we could win only 40; but some months there was the Modi phenomenon and the rest is history.
The BJP Karyakartas have a high level of motivation and tireless zeal to work at the booth level.
With the regional parties like Samajwadi Party and BSP of Ms Mayawati ji left high and dry, the Congress is pretty weak to take on the BJP and our ‘new face’ Narendra Modi for the battle of 2024. The ‘New India’ is here and poor people are liking it.
Jai Hind