BJP’s ‘nationalism’ plank backfired?

New Delhi: An “overconfident” BJP floundered in both Maharashtra and Haryana in the Assembly polls, though the party continued to remain as the largest political outfit and indicated that it will stake the claim for government formation in both states under the incumbent chief ministers. Results of Maharashtra and Haryana assembly polls were declared on Thursday.

Poll results were a clear indication that the BJP’s nationalim plank, including the abrogation of Article 370, and also its claim of “pro-incumbency” factor, failed to garner the expected results. Just few months ago, the BJP strategists had given credit to both nationalism and pro-incumbency — for its thumping majority in the parliamentary polls. Ticket distribution, over-confidence and anti-incumbency against the local BJP leadership, are also being blamed for the party performance, especially in Haryana where the BJP remained short of six seats from the half way mark.  

That the BJP failed to read the Jat votebank was evident from the fact that some of its senior leaders, including state unit chief Subhash Barala and some ministers, lost their seats in the Jat dominated constituencies.

The BJP had to request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address two more public rallies in Haryana after feedback suggested that it could face problems in the Jat dominated state.

The BJP, which had 47 seats in the outgoing assembly, either won or was ahead in 40 seats. In Maharashtra, both BJP and Sena had contested together this time and a section of party leaders blames “over-confidence” among the state leadership and “arrogance” for losing key seats.

In both Haryana and Maharashtra, the BJP got its first chief ministers in 2014. Though the BJP had shared power with the Sena in Maharashtra earlier, it was in 2014 that the party bagged the ‘big brother’ tag. In Haryana, the BJP gave first non-Jat chief minister in 2014 when it formed its first government in the state.

While the party leaders got in touch with independents in Haryana, including controversial leader Gopal Kanda, BJP national president and Union home minister Amit Shah will speak to ally Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray regarding government formation.

Speculation is rife that Mr Thackeray’s son, Aditya, who made his electoral debut, could be the deputy chief minister in Devendra Fadnavis led NDA government. The BJP leadership also clarified that the saffron party will continue to remain the “big brother” in the ruling alliance, thus trashing reports on the chief ministerial issue coming from the Sena’s side.

Mr Thackeray again raised the 50:50 power sharing formula. Speculation is also rife that the BJP is also in touch with Dushyant Chautala of the JJP.