The decisive victory of the BJP in the Haryana elections hitting a hat-trick points to the ability of the saffron party to quickly reorganise itself even in the face of adversity and come up tops while that of the INDIA alliance in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir once again proves why it is important to put up a united fight against a powerful opponent, especially on an uneven playground.
The BJP had sensed the trouble anti-incumbency could bring to its electoral fortunes as it had been in power for two consecutive terms. Knowing this, it decided to change its chief minister midway in the second term. There is nothing new in this as the party has experimented with the efficacy of this strategy in several states and found successful. Credit must be given to Mr Nayab Singh Saini as chief minister who has turned the tables on a re-energised Congress after the Lok Sabha election. That Mr Saini was able to bring together all the non-Jat sections of the population and make them side with his party irrespective of the serious issues that plague their lives has been the factor that helped the BJP coast to victory.
The Congress has, over a long period of time, perfected the art of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, and Haryana proved to be just another example. The ground was perfectly prepared for an Opposition party to have a good harvest given the people’s disgruntlement with the ruling party owing to unemployment, price rise, farmers’ unrest and the governments’ actions which made pockets of the population turn against the party which included the treatment of wrestlers who hailed from the state. Every single survey had pointed to an unqualified Congress victory in the election.
However, a complacent party leadership in the state began to play its favourite game — that of factionalism. The party high command was either blissfully ignorant of what was going on in the state even if it is not far from the Central headquarters or was plainly incapable of comprehending its potential impact. It is time the Congress leadership realised that politics is a 24x7 affair.
An interesting takeaway from the election was the people’s disenchantment with smaller players, such as the INLD, Jannayak Janta Party and even the new entrant AAP, which have practically been decimated. This, coupled with the fact that the difference in vote share between the BJP and the Congress is less than one per cent, points to the fact that Haryana has returned to a two-party system which prevailed in the state for long ruled as it had been by either the Congress or a non-Congress party. Also, that the BJP has replaced all other players and has firmly rooted itself in the state’s polity.
The result in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the first after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, has been on predicted lines. The National Conference and the Congress will be in a position to form government on the strength of popular support in Kashmir Valley while the BJP has proved once again that it has been able to perch itself comfortably in Jammu division. The INDIA bloc can, at least for the time being, feel comfortable even if the BJP can add another five members to its tally through the nomination route, effectively taking the number needed to run the government to 48 in a 95-member house. That the PDP has offered to support the NC-Congress combine if required can ward off any immediate threat.
Now that the people have spoken their mind, the remaining agenda for the Union Territory is the restoration of its statehood. The Indian State owes it to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and there is no justification in delaying it further. It is time to let them be part of the Union of India with all the rights and privileges of the citizens of the republic.
