The massive mandate

Prof. A.N.Sadhu
The Assembly elections in the five states of the country witnessed very intense campaigning, particularly in U.P, where the PM himself camped for a few days and campaigned for his party. The importance of these elections, particularly of the most populous state of  Uttar Pradesh emanated from the fact that these election results will have an important bearing on the next general elections in the country in 2019. These elections were also important because these would be an endorsement or otherwise of the policies and programmes followed by the NDA Government during the last two and a half years. The elections also took place after demonetization, which invited vehement criticism from the opposition and was labeled as anti poor and anti farmer. The opposition expected that the elections will vindicate their criticism against the demonetisation and will get support from the electorate. In fact, the elections in five states was treated as a mini-general election and therefore an exercise in assessing the peoples stand for or against the NDA Government. The voters have proved the opposition wrong and clearly endorsed the policies and programmes of the Central Government.
It has been a massive mandate for the BJP and its allies in Utter Pradesh and Uttrakhand and more or less a balanced verdict in Manipur and Goa with Punjab going to the Congress. The Akalidal in Punjab had earned wrath from the masses because of non performance and promoting dynastic rule which had resulted into impoverishing of Punjab economy, which otherwise has been doing so well in the previous years. It is a good feeling among the congress men to designate it as a revival of congress. Lot will depend upon their performance in office for the next five years. The massive mandate from BJP is a matter of rejoicing, no doubt, but certainly not for overjoying. They carried out an intense campaigning programme in Uttar Pradesh, which, it cannot be denied, made an impact on the electorate but it may not be termed as 100 percent pro-BJP, quite a significant part of it is anti SP and anti BSP. Therefore, it needs to be analysed in a little more detail.
The largest democracy of the world is maturing. The people welcome the change because stagnation stinks. The people, no longer, are impressed, by dramatics and lollipops; they weant results on ground. There are no takers for appeasement and exploitation, any more. People have given a clear verdict against cunningness, non performance, corruption and deception. However if this negative vote swells the vote share of a party that has not been in power, it should not become arrogant. Humility is the strength of an individual and of a party as well. In the over excitement, what has been done in Goa and Manipur is not in tune with democratic political ethics even when BJP again acted smart and swift to turn the tide in its favour. May be it also yields better results.
The factors that led to this unprecedennted mandate, may be listed as under :-
* Poor law and order situation
* Mafia rule and gangsterism
* Family feud
* Awakening among the masses
* Weakening caste and community factor
* BJP’s skillful public connect.
* Agenda of Development and nationalism.
During the last five years, the law and order situation kept on deteriorating in the state. Crime against women recorded a rising graph. The law and order machinery was unable to check crime which had become an everyday affair. The murders, kidnapping and rapes were committed and hardly any serious attempt was made to check these happenings. People expressed their wrath in full measure and in the hope that law and order situation will improve by putting an alternative arrangement in place.
Mafia groups remained very active during the entire period. One of the honest officers who wanted to take a stand against the mafia activities was ignored and sidelined raising serious doubts about the Governments intentions to check these nefarious activities. Gang wars, dacoities and intimidation became the order of the day. In a regime where law and order machinery will show all its efficiency to locate a buffaloe and make no serious effort to trace a kidnapped hapless  person, one can draw many conclusions. Ministers involved in sex crimes continue to be ministers and Police fails to track such persons, is a sad commentary on law and order machinery.
Family feud to attain power and organizational supremacy shocked the people. It reminded them of medieval ages which is full of father-son rivalries. The dynastic rule at its worst throwing all norms of decency to winds.
The Indian voter has matured and he takes his own decisions. Bahubali culture is giving its way and the voter has reposed faith in the BJP Government which promises less Government and more governance in a transparent manner. The women voters have realized the power of the vote and they have understood that free and fair franchise alone will give them equality, justice and freedom from male chauvinism
The caste and community politics is weakening. The massive mandate has shown individual freedom of the electorate to rise above caste, creed, religion and region and value performance, objectivity and pro-poor initiatives. They have understood the cunningness of appeasement and a frank call from the NDA government to rise, realize and reach the goals. The common man has shown his maturity as also the courage to reveal it at an appropriate time.
BJP has skillfully created a net work of public connect and even the PM himself reaches every individual, may be through public meetings, or through Man-ki-Baat or through tweets. He has acted as a common man’s representative. He has generated a new hope for a new social engineering modal for the people. He has become known as a man of action, bold and fearless in executing the public welfare programmes.
The PM’s call for overall development by ” Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas has appealed masses and his inclusive model of development has raised hope among the people for an equal opportunity in the economy, polity and society of the country. U.P, inspite of having enormous possibilities of demographic dividend has failed to realize it for lack of adequate attention to the state’s development. Merely projecting, himself as a development CM by quoting express way umpteen times does not bring about all round development, it needs planning and execution, in an effective manner. Youth leaders failed to bring any hope to the youth and the model did not click. Making mockery of the tallest leader does not yield dividends, it only yields public anger and that is what U.P elections have shown amply.
The BJP Government is faced with a formidable challenge of fulfilling its poll promises, on the one hand and bringing all inclusive development of the state, on the other, taking all sections of society and all regions of the state on board. In fact the need is there to revive Ganga Jamna culture of peace and development. They have equally a very big responsibility of putting Utterakhand on growth path. The state with rich natural endowment needs path breaking initiatives to make it a tourist hub and scientifically exploit its natural wealth to the states advantage. The elections just concluded have been decisive in many respects and let us hope, the new India will usher in a development era full of opportunities and peace. The people have to participate in the development with full national spirit and commitment. Together we will have to build the New India.
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