Economically Disadvantaged Indians Rally Behind BJP: Modi's Biographer
The recent victories look good for the BJP. They could affect the opposition's morale ahead of the 2024 elections. Sputnik India digs deeper to find out how Modi's magic worked but the Congress' did not.
SputnikHaving confounded his critics by humiliating arch-rival Congress with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) triumph in three of the four state elections, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears to have underlined his government's enduring popularity and undiminished personal charisma.
The Modi-led BJP retained the state of Madhya Pradesh and wrested Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh from the Congress party in the recent assembly elections.
In the fourth state, Telangana, the BJP increased its number of assembly seats from one to eight.
In a Sputnik India interview, Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, India's leading political analyst and author of 'Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times', discussed the significance of BJP's recent triumphs and the unsuccessful efforts of the Congress-led I.N.D.I.A bloc to halt Modi's momentum in advance of the 2024 Parliamentary Polls.
When asked whether Modi's victory was due to disarray within the opposition's I.N.D.I.A bloc or Congress' internal conflicts, Nilanjan expressed his belief that it was a combination of these factors.
"Yes, Mr. Modi was undoubtedly a significant factor. The concept of Hindutva or cultural nationalism also played a role. The BJP possesses resources that are unmatched. Additionally, there was a lack of organization within the opposition."
The political analyst stated that several factors contributed to the Congress defeat and the BJP's success in the northern Hindi-speaking states.
Ordinary Indians And Modi's Style of Governance
When asked whether it is now established that Modi retains the support of the common population, Nilanjan emphasized that the BJP has steadily broadened its social and economic support base.
“So ‘Common Man’ is actually just a synonym that’s a way of describing it. But yes, they have a wide range of people, and definitely the poor are backing the BJP as well as people from various caste groups are also supporting it.”
Highlighting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is still falling behind in terms of votes from religious minority groups, he noted this as one of the core issues.
However, the BJP's strategy of polarising on the basis of religion has successfully gained support thus far, although it poses a danger to the traditional identity of India.
What Clicked for BJP This Time ?
When asked if the BJP's success in the state polls was due to women-friendly schemes, pro-poor policies, tribal outreach, or an aggressive Hindutva campaign, Nilanjan stated that it was a combination of all these factors.
He also pointed out that Mr Modi's welfare politics merely amounted to giving cash or free food to people, which was being spun as a great humanitarian act.
Feeble Opposition Vs Modi Govt's Foibles
The analyst indicated the failures of the rival parties of the BJP and noted that the Opposition has not effectively communicated to the public that "this is not solely a humanitarian issue, but a significant failure of the government to provide employment opportunities to the population, which would enable them to purchase basic sustenance for themselves."
For five years, the government has virtually accepted that people will not be able to buy their own food, that they will otherwise die of hunger if we do not provide free food to them, he stated. “So it’s definitely a combination of all these.”
As previously stated, according to the political expert, the BJP’s strategy relies significantly on Hindutva, which is an aspect of Hindu nationalism. This is combined with Mr. Modi, welfarism, the BJP's organization, and its unparalleled resources.
Modi's Biography 2.0
Asked whether the ongoing Indian political climate is stimulating the creation of Part II of Modi’s biography, the distinguished author answered: "It is time to assess Mr. Modi's performance over the last ten years and his prospects for the future following the 2024 election results. The story that needs to be recounted is how he has captivated a significant portion of the Indian electorate."