BJP eyeing consolidation in Indian politics

Bhubaneswar, July 23 (Ajoy Kumar Misra) Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strategies are difficult for the opposition to conceive. What Modi has done in the past two decades were beyond the imagination of the opposition though they were hell bent on stopping his juggernaut. But as things are now developing it is near certain that the opposition could bend under his political tactics or surrender for their own existence.

Modi has pronounced that he would like to see a ‘Congressmukt Bharat’ but has also been harping on a strong opposition. But the strength of the opposition on the other hand is dwindling and a stage is not far when the BJP would be in the driver’s seat in Indian politics thwarting all the moves of any opposition unity. The leaders such as K Chandrasekhar Rao in Telengana, Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, Sharad Pawar or Arvind Kejriwal have been reduced to naught by the moves of Modi. All these leaders who tried to forge an unity among the opposition are now finding themselves in piquant situations. From nominating Droupadi Murmu or Jagdeep Dhankar for posts of President and Vice President respectively, Modi has perhaps played the trump card to win the game of politics. But with that he has created a situation for many leaders, barring a few like YSR’s Jagan Reddy or Odisha’s Naveen Patnaik , which forces them to ponder about their future. BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik is in the most comfortable situation staying away from any move of the opposition to challenge the growing popularity of BJP or Narendra Modi. Naveen’s recent acceptance of Modi’s choice for President and Vice President posts, has been seen by a section of political analysts as a ‘subservient’ approach which is far from truth. In Droupadi Murmu’s case it can well be said Naveen Patnaik was perhaps the first leader in the country who had batted for a Tribal in the highest post of the country when he had supported PA Sangma. Patnaik’s move also need to be seen as one move few years ago that may have prompted the BJP to consider a tribal for the highest post now.

Modi, it seems, have taken control of things keeping in view the developments or the problems the BJP faced since the elections in Gujarat in 2017 and subsequent polls in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. He appears to have prepared a roadmap for the party to return to power not only in 2024 but for more years. The recent Hyderabad conclave of the party is an indication that the saffron party is now ready to take on even the regional satraps to make inroads. The ‘Look East’ policy of the party may also come on focus.

The election of Droupadi Murmu to the highest post and the subsequent jubilation among the tribals across the country, will surely make the opposition wary of the growing popularity of the BJP through Modi charisma. Imagine the scene when nearly one and half lakh tribal villages across the country celebrate the victory of Droupadi Murmu for five days at a time when elections are due in several states, some of them tribal dominated, within the next one year or so. The ruling parties in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat are bound to be alarmed.

In West Bengal and Delhi, the BJP does not seem to be in a hurry but wait till the Trinamool Congress and Aam Aadmi Party popularity dwindle due to their own follies. The arrest of a TMC minister Partha Chhaterjee by the Enforcement Directorate on July 22 and the axe of arrest staring at AAP Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in Delhi may in all likelihood cause huge embarrassment for the two parties.

The Congress is already in trouble with its president Sonia Gandi and former president and Gandhi scion Rahul under ED scanner. In Telengana KCR is wary because of the BJP’s growing influence.

These developments have provided an opportunity for the BJP to push itself hard in states where dissensions or resentments in ruling dispensation exist.

With opposition unity move shattered now it can well be inferred that Modi is not eyeing 2024 alone but a bigger game plan to entrench the BJP for more years to come in Indian political arena.