Electoral scene

https://countercurrents.org/2022/06/eight-years-of-modi-sarkar/

As Narendra Modi completed his eight years tenure (May 30 2022), there are claims and counter claims about the performance of his regime. Modi acolytes are very happy that during this period India has made great leaps in all areas of development. Various leaders from Amit Shah and others have praised the achievements of last eight years. Many other have also written to highlight the schemes for housing, vaccination, women taking the wheel (Smiriti Irani), Ujwala Gas Yojana, the Jan Dhan bank accounts etc.

While the opponents of the Government highlight that there have been massive setbacks due to demonetization, the sudden Covid lockdown led to mass migrations under adverse situations and the lockdown also revealed the inadequacy of health services. There is a record rise in unemployment, the farmer’s plight has worsened and we see the rising prices of commodities. The rupee is falling. The claim is that there were no incidents of communal violence, but reality shows not only the increasing acts of violence peaking in the Delhi violence of 2020, but also the growing discord between two major religious communities. While overall the spiral of violence is on the rise, there is a qualitative worsening of the same. “Communal incidents in UP had increased 47% from 133 in 2014 to 195 in 2017. According to another 2017 Huffington Post report, India was ranked fourth in the world in 2015–after Syria, Nigeria and Iraq–for the highest social hostilities involving religion.” This trend continued in following years.

By Dr. Ram Puniyani

3/06/2022

Rahul Gandhi’s speech at Chintan Shivir reflects true spirit of Congress; revives zeal for ideological battle https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/rahul-gandhis-speech-at-chintan-shivir-reflects-true-spirit-of-congress-revives-zeal-for-ideological-battle

Despite losses Rahul Gandhi appears stronger and more determined to fight, something the Bhartiya Janata Party and certain section of the media do not appreciate. They systematically create a narrative that to build a strong opposition either the Congress party should die or the Gandhis should be banished from politics.

Rahul Gandhi responded to this narrative by firmly asserting that Congress is the only alternative to BJP and regional parties cannot be the face of the opposition. Referring to some of the dissenters inside the party he said, “Sometimes our senior leaders go into depression. I understand them. It's not an easy fight, but only Congress can take it up. The regional parties cannot and will not do it because this is an ideological fight and they do not have any ideology.

He remained firm on his repeated statements that the battle of Indian politics is not an electoral battle but ideological battle. A fight between truth and lies, Gandhi and Godse, liberalism and conservatism, progress and regression and so on. It is not an easy fight, he said, and for him, it is the fight of his life.

“It’s my life’s struggle. I refuse to believe that this beloved nation has so much anger and violence. I would fight RSS’s ideology all my life, I'm not scared. I've never done anything wrong; I've not taken one paisa from Bharat Mata, so I have no fear. I am in this forever,” Rahul Gandhi said.

Prashant Kishor: Not Winning Or Losing Only Due To Polarisation | Prashant Kishor Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVljsVgI_go
9,028 views May 13, 2022 Arguing that the role played by polarisation in elections is “much overhyped, than what is actually on the ground”, election strategist Prashant Kishor said that “for every Hindu who is impressed with the BJP’s narrative of Hindutva, there is one Hindu who is not”.

It is not just communal polarisation that is working for BJP. It is Hindu identity, Nationalism plus Labarati..

Jignesh Mevani is front and centre at Rahul Gandhi’s rally for tribals in Gujarat Aditi Raja May 11, 2022 https://indianexpress.com/article/india/political-pulse/jignesh-mevani-front-centre-rahul-rally-tribals-gujarat-

Messages: That tribals, traditionally Congress supporters, would have a big role in the party’s plans for Gujarat. That it is hoping to make it a bankable combination of tribals and Dalits. And that Jignesh Mevani – is set to be the Congress’s man of the moment.

Nalin Mehta talks with us about his latest book "The New BJP: Modi and the Making of the World's Largest Political Party". The BJP has been on a tremendous winning streak since 2014. Why do so many people across divisions of caste, religion, and gender vote for a party that is ideologically aligned with Hindutva? What are the factors that have led to this rise of BJP in Indian socio-political life? Unexpected findings in Caste Representation as per Mehta Singh Index https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgluFeWavfY&t=1055s.. Testing the theory of the "revenge of the upper caste elite".. Using the mehta Singh index in UP.. caste division among politicians.. MPs, MLA, Lowerefunctionaries.. 57% OBC/SC

Nalin Mehta Writes: 5 Reasons Christophe Jaffrelot and Ashoka University Data on BJP, Caste Are Wrong https://www.news18.com/news/opinion/nalin-mehta-writes-5-reasons-why-christophe-jaffrelot-and-ashoka-university-data-on-bjp-caste-are-wrong-4691753.html Claim 1: Substantial difference between the Mehta-Singh Social Index findings on caste representation among BJP candidates in 2017 polls and that of Ashoka University’s Trivedi Centre for Political Data (TCPD) data is only because of a difference in the classification of caste categories, not variations in raw data. Jaffrelot/Verniers and TCPD did not count Jats as OBC. ..Jats were officially included in the Uttar Pradesh state OBC list for reservation as OBCs over two decades ago, in 2000...

Claim 2: Mehta’s biggest mistake is to focus on MPs. They are not important because they are not as influential.. Mehta-Singh Social Index expanded the ambit of its social enquiry to five broad sites of power. ..2,560 Lok Sabha candidates, 1,612 Vidhan Sabha candidates, 42 state-level BJP office-bearers in UP, 101 government ministers in UP, 98 district-level BJP presidents in UP,

Issue: Do we go by official classification of caste as OBC or by the "dominance" in politics.. (MN Srinivas on Dominant castes ).. changes due to caste movements of day Marathas,

Scroll.in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmo5dGQ0cVU The author, Dr. #NalinMehta, will be in conversation with #SabaNaqvi, senior journalist and Jai Mrug, psephologist and CEO VotersMood Research & M76 Analytics, in a discussion moderated by T.M. Veeraraghav, Former Resident Editor, The Hindu.

To call the book ‘The New BJP’ is a stretch. An RSS ‘pracharak’ once told me that his organisation obsesses over tweaking the nuts and bolts of whatever institution it lays its hands on, without considering the long-term impact of the exertions. ‘Vyavastha parivartan’ (changing the arrangement) is the operative phrase, with the rider that no departure from the ideological moorings will be countenanced. As Mehta confirms, “From Shaheen Bagh to cow slaughter, in virtually every public controversy on its core principles since 2014, the BJP’s responses have been a direct extension of the lines that its forebears took in the Jan Sangh.” - https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/reviews/story/nalin-mehtas-the-new-bjp-a-deep-dive-into-the-partys-rise-363719

BJP and RSS narratives.. Different? - Different Perspectives between BJP and RSS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgluFeWavfY&t=2340sOther axesof narrative other than the communalial.. Core issues for BJP includes.. farmers, women, Since 2016 Manily about Congress..

Subcategories

What 2022 says..

Indian Electoral Politics: Shifting Sands

Seven decades down the line the electoral scene has changed for the worse and is currently dominated by emotive issues. The foundation of derailing the ‘this worldly’ issues was the Ram Temple movement. This movement became stronger after the implementation of Mandal Commission report. Since then the domination of emotive, identity issues is on the rise. This is reflected by the fact that in 2019, no party dared to utter the word secularism, as claimed by the winner of 2019 elections, Mr. Narendra Modi himself. He presented it as a trophy for the efforts of RSS-BJP’s political success.

https://countercurrents.org/2022/11/indian-electoral-politics-shifting-sands/

It is in this track that any issue can be given a religious turn as we witnessed its peak in the coining of phrase ‘Corona Jihad’. This showed how electoral politics can be reduced merely to game of identity issues. BJP has mastered this art over a period of last few decades. The media, which is prostrating to BJP ideology, is putting its best efforts to magnify the doings of communal stream.

Not to be left behind, Arvind Kejrival is trying to compete which these divisive efforts revolving around identity issues, in his own unique smart ways. The AAP, which in a way, is an alternate model of communal politics; is playing its Hindutva/communal card with shrewdness. Kajriwal party is also an example of blind subservience to the dictator by the other leaders of that party. As Kejriwal demanded this; all his cronies, stated saying the same. The peak of this was Atishi Marlena, who stated that this demand of Laxmi-Ganesh is not merely Kejriwal demand, it is the aspiration of 130 crore Indians! Most of the dictatorial tendencies believe they are speaking for the whole country. This is a duplicate of what Narendra Modi, when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat, used to say that he is talking on behalf of Five Crore Gujratis. India needs a party which can accommodate all sections of society with equality and dignity, apart from welfare; it also promotes employment and proactively deals with marginalized sections of society. We need a party where religion is not mixed with politics. For many, AAP began with a big promise for a better politics, but its reality is there for all to see with its trajectory leading to demanding Laxmi and Ganesh on currency notes and dumping of Jan Lokpal in the dustbin of Hisotry!

by Dr Ram Puniyani

2/11/2022

- 2024 Lok Sabha Elections

-- campaigning by political parties

Page 20 of 55

Electoral scene

Eight years of Modi Sarkar

Rahul Gandhi’s speech at Chintan Shivir

Not Winning Or Losing Only Due To Polarisation

Jignesh Mevani is front and centre at Rahul Gandhi’s rally for tribals in Gujarat

The New BJP: Modi and the Making of the World's Largest Political Party

Subcategories

What 2022 says..

Indian Electoral Politics: Shifting Sands

- 2024 Lok Sabha Elections

-- campaigning by political parties

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