Heartache for loyal BJP ticket seekers imminent
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: November 18, 2021 -

A SENIOR BJP national leader categorically stating there is no guarantee that party's ticket for the upcoming elections to five state assemblies will be allotted to sitting MLAs will be lancinating for many who strongly believe that the saffron party will return to power in the state.

There is no foreseeable reason for prominent political figures to leave their parent parties to sup with the BJP other than his/her firm conviction that they have far better chance of winning the election under the flag and symbol of the ruling BJP.

As such, overlooking loyalty of party members and doling out the party's ticket to new entrants would leave many feeling wretched.

Accepted that neither BJP's allies NPP and NPF, nor the Congress would be pushovers in the upcoming polls, but it is the saffron party which seems invincible at the moment, especially so as it is helming the affairs at the national capital.

Contrary to speculations that the 'Modi wave' would wane after the first term in office, BJP stormed to power in the 2019 parliamentary elections thereby demonstrating increasing popularity of the Prime Minister.

In-spite of its poor showing in some states which recently went to the polls, the BJP is visibly brimming with confidence of eradicating some bitter memories in the upcoming assembly elections especially in the absence of a challenger.

Moreover, its social engineering clicking for projection of Modi as 'son of a backward' since the 2014 Lok Sabha polls has been reaping the fruit as could be gauged from the BJP trying and creating coalition with non-dominant castes such appointment of a non-Jat as Haryana chief minister, a non-Maratha as Maharashtra CM and a non-tribal as Jharkhand CM.

Such a deviation from the traditional polity of anointing leaders from dominant castes at the state level testifies continuous attempt for an image makeover from a 'Brahmin-Baniya' centric party to an all-inclusive one.

Though the party leaders' ambition to foray into hitherto uncharted territories in the south didn't materialise, the BJP finding firm foothold in the northeast region speaks volume about success of its Congress-mukt agenda as well as the firm resolve to form the government by striking alliances with even smaller political outfits.

In short, BJP has been fairly successful in making its presence felt in all other states. In the northeast, especially Manipur, a key aspect in BJP's rise is the party effectively presenting itself as the opposition, and the harbinger of change, despite being in government.

Even after over four years, BJP leaders continue to hold the erstwhile Congress government responsible for the state lagging behind in the developmental index.

Such engineered rhetoric seems to be the main reason why the opposition parties haven't been able to effectively expose administrative inefficiency, if any, of the incumbent government.

In a state plagued by instability for decades, BJP is finding a way to neutralise anti-incumbency.

Thus, in the present scenario and political equation, the only problem that the BJP might face is in the process of selecting its candidates for the upcoming-Assembly polls in five states.

However, in Manipur's context, where the contest will be only for 60 seats, BJP decision makers might favour party's sitting MLAs and turncoats with high prospects as they remain the best bet to retain power.

Nevertheless, there definitely would be heartache and cries of betrayal from those royal members eager to contest the polls under the party's patronage.