The BJP’s sweeping electoral victory in three states — Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan — speaks of the politics of good governance and development. Development is the secret of these electoral successes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi categorically stated, while thanking the people for such a heartening victory, the clarity of vision and determination that dwell upon development. The concepts of caste census, the Sanatana Dharma jibe and freebie promotions that the Opposition thought would make a difference failed so miserably. The people of this country are unwavering in terms of making the right assessments while exercising their political rights.
In Madhya Pradesh, the factor of anti-incumbency was expected to dent BJP’s electoral aspirations. But, contrary to the general perception, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, through his consistently effective governance and implementation of the state and Central schemes, converted anti-incumbency to pro-incumbency. This explains that the determinacy of development defies change. Change for the sake of change is unnecessary. The development keeps a leader relevant in politics. Shivraj Singh Chouhan didn’t derail from this model, which ensured such a great victory for the BJP in Madhya Pradesh.
The story of Chhattisgarh is exceptional and the BJP has done exceptionally well. Its political horizon has expanded by leaps and bounds. The tribal trust in the BJP has been incredible. The tribal population of Chhattisgarh found in BJP a scope for difference through development. Poverty and backwardness will not take people a long way. A sense of fatigue from failed promises and forever revolution has taught people in a hard way the necessity of living in peace. What one needs at the end of the day is family and workable peace. The romanticism of anarchy will not guarantee justice. Employment and development will empower people to imagine a different future. The people of Chhattisgarh found PM Modi a catalyst of difference. He does not just make promises. He delivers. This commitment and concomitance of promise and action embody Modi’s USP.
In Rajasthan, the Congress governance model was deplorable and characterised by chaos, corruption and infighting. Appeasement politics was its speciality. The Modi model, on the contrary, presented a governance of development and welfare of all. The difference between welfarism and freebies is that the former is the duty of the state to bring about socio-economic equity and contract the gap between the rich and the poor, and the latter is the impossible promises to deceive voters, forgotten altogether once voted into power. Freebies are mere election tactics and extremely difficult to deliver in the post-election scenario.
Modi’s choice of welfarism is an incremental process and effective one. It reaches the people and makes a difference on the ground. This has been the most successful model and has given the BJP the desired dividend. Moreover, there is a perception that has been built that Modi is a reliable politician, known for his words and actions. Delivery of welfarism to the last mile is his strength. This makes Modi an invincible leader. The word ‘defeat’ is not found in the Modi lexicon. He has earned this through his selfless service and unwavering love for this country.
People have gradually realised that with Modi, India is invincible and has a great future. This confident victory articulates a sense of optimism and positivity for the 2024 general elections. The indications are quite clear and require no equivocation. PM Modi does not fight for power or any political purposes. He fights for development in the country with everyone on board, irrespective of any affiliation people have. This ensures his political philosophy ‘sabka saath’. He is with everyone and his political vision is holistic. This is the new Bharat, which waited for centuries, fighting all antithetical forces to register its emergence.
The Opposition find themselves completely clueless as to what they ought to invent to checkmate the Modi juggernaut. In the absence of finding any secure ground, they oppose everything that Modi does lock, stock and barrel. They have lost their moral compass and political logic. Attacks on his personal life, caste affiliation, and so on have acquired consistency from the Opposition quarters. The Modi hatred has blinded them to such a degree that they express their antagonism against the Sanatana Dharma and Bharat.
The people of Bharat take note of these attitudes and have lost faith in the Opposition. An expression of this deficit of trust is very much seen through these electoral results. Therefore, Modi’s relevance in Indian politics is unchallenged because of the dyad — good governance and development.
Dr Chandan K Panda is an Assistant Professor at Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.