Most of India’s opposition parties have developed a consensus that they need to dent Prime Minister Modi’s image as much as possible if they are to have the necessary impact on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Most, because some are still considering whether it would be better to ally with the BJP instead. This may be due to the belief that the Congress will not compromise on the choice of prime minister if the opportunity comes, unlikely as it may seem at present. Anybody with any sense of responsibility towards the nation will not exactly be enthused by Rahul Gandhi’s performance to date.
So, while close allies like Sharad Pawar may seek to maintain a balanced approach, the attack continues on issues such as the PM’s degrees, the Adani connection, Vir Savarkar, etc. While the other criticism regarding inflation, unemployment, Chinese aggression and so on may be mentioned, the Congress, AAP, TMC, DMK, BRS and so on realise that the common person is getting the benefits of a booming economy in more ways than one and may not swallow the conventional narrative. So, image busting it will be in the hope that one or the other allegation may stick.
Also, while it has been Rahul Gandhi scoring all the self-goals thus far, the BJP should not take the win for granted. While the Modi factor will play a major role, there are lines that cannot be crossed. India’s voters in their entirety are extremely mature and do not want certain fundamental principles to be put in jeopardy. The BJP’s fringe groups’ fulminations may not be taken too seriously but those in constitutional positions need to be careful of what they say or do. It is most important that they do not get taken in by their own propaganda. Polarisation for election purposes may be a part of the party’s strategy, but if it plays out on the ground, it will have the opposite effect. This is exactly why Mamata Banerjee is happy to have riots and turmoil on the streets of West Bengal, as it puts off not just her ‘beloved’ minority community, but also civil society in general. Lessons must be learned from Bal Thackeray’s original Shiv Sena, which had mastered the art of intimidation without actually doing much. The provocations came from the other side. This lesson is particularly relevant for those in power in Uttarakhand, where people are motivated most by the national interest and development, and don’t need to be polarised along religious lines.
