So
the muffler man Kejriwal does what has never been done before! More than
reflecting over his victory, we can reflect over BJP’s set of mistakes.
It
is good to have a smart, suave, presentable Prime Minister. But people will
definitely follow a faded jersey clad muffler man if they find him pitted against
somebody clad in royal clothes. So it was 10 lac suit against 200 INR muffler. Masses in India obviously chose the latter! India after all is a country of struggling,
hungry, ill-clad masses. They sympathize with the underdog. Modi, the tea
seller of the past, garnered sympathy in parliamentary elections. Now it is the
time of muffler man to be made a prince from his castrated status of a mad
lampoon. It was not for nothing that Gandhiji abandoned clothes to mix with the
poorest of the poor. Modi has to look less exclusive! Indian masses are decades
away from their appreciation of style and statement like the Americans appreciate the US First Lady's style.
Never
ever publicly declare your intention to annihilate your enemy. However strong
reason you have to destroy him! The slogan of ‘Congressmukt Bharat’ is catchy,
but injurious. Do your deed, but why repeatedly tell your enemy that you are
going to annihilate him?! Congress is cornered. They know BJP wants to
dismantle the party itself. So what is the option left for them? Their sense of
victory right now can just be to help anybody in defeating BJP. They did it
smartly in Delhi by shifting its votes to AAP’s coffers. They even know that AAP’s
clout will increase at the national level. They are but very much comfortable
with the idea that AAP gets 50 or 60 seats in next Parliamentary elections.
Well and good. They are happy to lead corrupt coalition governments, unlike BJP
that wants a one man show in India. So AAP emerging nationally is a step
towards Congress getting one more partner in a future coalition government.
When
BJP started its all out campaign to wipe out regional outfits, I had this
apprehension that all and sundry political forces, which hitherto did not see
eye to eye, will cling to each other in short term to somehow survive BJP
onslaught. This is what has happened in Delhi assembly elections. Congress,
communists, janta dal, bahujan samaj party all allowed their vote bank to go
under AAP's fold. Result! BJP getting the bitter political pill that will cure
it of its paranoid political fever to color India
politically in just one color! India is strangely unified in teasing
diversities. Those who accommodate these divisions survive, and those who cross
age-old barriers will come against unified opposition from various groups.
Lesson is learnt: You cannot afford to neglect friendly regional forces. Having
regional partners is a sign of your strength and legitimacy, not weakness. It
is not for nothing that America that can singlehandedly wage war against whole
world, still keeps small contingents of troops from friendly small countries! It
adds to the legitimacy of its actions!
Another factor that has put BJP in a shady zone
is a few personas emerging all powerful and manipulative. It makes a party look
aloof from common man, creates apprehensions, puts it in a too lofty position
at which common man looks with insecurity. Hope Modi, Shah, rajnath and gadkari
pull strings in more subtle ways, instead of making it evident in high profile
posturing in media. Let BJP, the party, be at the forefront at least in media! We can have more pictures of
development works accomplished by BJP, and lesser full framed robust pictures
of arrogant Shah walking majestically after press conferences. He can continue
with his string pulling from behind the scenes, but it should not be evident in
media. Amit Shah is also becoming too predictable in that he goes for religious
polarization. He has to pull his strings differently now, and without high
profile posturing in media.
Young
educated part of Indian population is outright against religious rhetoric and
extremist talk and posturing. Have administrators in your cabinet. Saffron clad
jingoistic sadhus and sadhvis can catapult venom from other platforms, but if
they do it from ministerial positions, then even appeased Hindu Gods would not
save you from modern public’s anger.
