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Journalism of Courage
Bipolar fight: It was clear from the beginning that the election would be between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath targeting the SP and Akhilesh Yadav by referring to “mafiawaad”, “gundagardi by laal topiwalahs”, and “appeasement of one community” (Muslims). As the results show, voters too made their choice between the BJP and the SP (or their respective allies), largely ignoring the BSP and the Congress.
Security & Hindutva: Many voters were convinced that it was necessary to bring the incumbent government back to power solely on the issue of law and order, their argument being that no government can remove problems like inflation and unemployment completely. Adityanath’s comments like “garmi thanda kar doonga” or “bulldozer chalega” were widely seen as references to operations on criminals. Read full report here…
AAP sweep: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had first entered the Punjab poll arena in the 2012 Lok Sabha elections, went on to become the main opposition after the 2017 Assembly elections and has now swept the state with a record 92 seats, the best ever performance by any party after the reorganisation of Punjab in 1966. It signifies a shift away from the two traditional rivals, Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal. Increasingly, people had begun to see them as having let the state drift.
Vote for development: Punjab, which has been seeing a decline in its per capita income over the last two decades, largely voted for the Delhi model of development promised by AAP. The discerning voter now wants a party that can promise him quality education, health and employment, not mere freebies.
Drubbing for SAD: Voters sent a stern message to the oldest party of Punjab, SAD, which celebrated 100 years in 2020. The message is clear: shape up or perish. Once a cadre-driven party known for its morchas and agitations for the people, SAD had turned into a family party presided over by the Badals, both of whom lost. Read full report here…
BJP choices: The BJP’s emphasis on winnability of candidates seems to have worked. It faced criticism for giving tickets to two couples, choosing defectors over its loyal cadre, but emerged as the single largest party.
Divided opposition: The opposition was more of a crowd and less of a group, which reflects in the results. Congress leaders acknowledged that opposition votes were split among parties including the Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress, Revolutionary Goans and independents. Read full report here…
Growth of BJP: From 21 seats in 2017, when it was behind the Congress (27) and needed to cobble up an alliance with smaller parties to form the government, the BJP is set to do so by itself now. Its poll planks for peace, development, stability — a stark contrast to the tumultuous 15-year Congress regime under the Okram Ibobi Singh, which was marked by bandhs, blockades and a sharp rise in extra-judicial killings — seem to have struck a chord with voters.
Power at the Centre: Like other small states of the Northeast region, Manipur often votes for the party that is in power at the Centre. With the BJP at the helm in New Delhi and commanding resources, voters saw the party as an easier and safer bet in 2022. Read full report here…
Issues that counted: The Congress election manifesto had promised to keep the price of LPG cylinders below Rs 500, jobs, monetary allowance to 5 lakh families, better health facilities, and 40% reservation for women in government jobs. Voters chose the BJP, whose promises about national security, Army welfare, and religious tourism apparently mattered more to them.
Not enough by Cong: Although the Congress appeared to have ticked all the right boxes in terms of managing infighting within the party and making sound electoral promises, its dwindling presence at the national level may have worked against it in Uttarakhand. The defeat in a state where the Congress was the most hopeful has also put a question mark on its future overall. Read full report here…
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