Are the poll results of Maharashtra and Haryana in Oct 2019 a warning bell for the BJP? Or a curtain-raiser for the Congress resurgence?
In Haryana, BJP made an unholy alliance with the son of a criminal, Dushyanth Chautala of Jannayak Janta Party(JJP) to form the government.
The alleged criminal Ajay Chautala is granted parole(or pardon?) to witness his son’s swearing-in as Dy. C.M.
In Maharashtra even six days after the results, there has been no light at the end of the tunnel. Light is eluding. BJP seems to be nervous and shivering.
Shiv Sena is being offered support by the Congress and the NCP to form the Ministry. Whether it will be a stable coalition is a different question.
There is no wonder if it is the end of the present tunnel. The coalition, if it materializes may have to face yet another, maybe still longer tunnel!
Turning to the election results, a leaderless party with men of straw, and corruption and discredited by the people for its follies, only five months back is able to create an upheaval in a state where the CM Fadnavis was able to complete record full term.
In fairness, it must be admitted that there were no serious allegations of corruption against the Chief Minister or his Cabinet Colleagues.
On the law and order front also, it was able to emerge a better disposition than most of its predecessors.
People’s grievances? Local factors, sentiments, and issues are not viewed from the national perspective. They are ignored. Ramajanmabhoomi and Ramasethu are important for the nationalistic Hindus in the whole country.
But the farmer is the lifeline of the entire nation. He is the backbone of the Indian economy. During the past five years, Fadnavis govt was unable to eliminate the suicides by the Cotton farmers in Vidarbha. Nor could it transparently demonstrate its eagerness to curtail the malaise.
If there is good rain, plenty of crops, and no remunerative price, farmers commit suicide. If it is drought crops wither away. Unable to fulfill his and his family’s social, economic and health needs farmers commit suicide.
Even on the religious front the local festivals and traditions have precedence over the national events. Deities worshiped and festivals observed nationwide have different local customs and manners.
However much we may shout, the caste system is not easily erasable from the Indian society. Different castes in different parts of the country or maybe even within a state, speaking the same language, follow different traditions in marriages and obsequies. e.g. Madhwa Brahmins all over the country strictly observe Ekadashi.
Even the obsequies are performed the next day. Smarthas or Shaivaites are not particular about Ekadashi. Even marriages are performed.
The first known statistician, the Chitra Gupta, the auditor and Comptroller General of Yama has to maintain different calendars.
BJP is not prepared to accept the universally accepted Indian glory: “Unity in Diversity.” Its slogan is AKHAND BHARATH.
However sanctimonious the religions sentiments and traditions maybe, when it comes to the question of survival, they recede to the background. Vivekananda said: “It is naive to preach Vedantha to a hungry man.
Nehru was asked: “Why are you in such a ‘haste’ to launch River Valley Projects and Dams?” He coolly said: “Anything can wait; but not the drinking water and the food.” Through the Five Year Plans, he launched the gigantic projects and factories and, opened academic institutes of excellence. His successors ignored the theme and the Congress Party faced its Kurukshetra.
BJP and its allies spend more time blaming Nehru than concentrating on administration. It has a new found love for Ambedkar. Rightly the Dalit class views it with suspicion. Gandhiji’s 150th Jayanthi and Swaccha Bharat too appear to be make-believe affair.
No Hindutwa-force leader worth his position has come forward with the condemnation of Godse. Nor anyone has publicly denounced deifying Godse. What is in store for the BJP.?