What you need to know:
- Readers discuss 2018 election results and what it means for the country in 2019.
- A reader also throws light on the recent celebrity weddings and their relevance.
The recent election results in India’s five assembly states is a stunning blow to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its haughty behaviour. BJP paid a heavy price for the farmers and rural distress in these states.
This will block the road for 2019 marginally for BJP. However, the stream of victories cannot give any resurgence to Congress in a big way. Although, the results, keeping BJP at the edge, is cheerful news to Congress, never mind, even its loss in Mizoram and debacle in Telangana.
Looking forward to 2019 general elections, Indian voters are really in a dilemma as to who would be the best to rule the nation. But, the option is reduced to BJP and Congress.
The BJP had very effectively combated terrorism, but ignored farmer’s demands. Writing-off farmers loans alone will not solve the problem. Waiving loans, natural calamity compensation, subsidies on agrarian items are temporary solutions. Communalism and caste politics have been up in arms during the BJP regime.
The other option of Congress is a confused, immature politician. The country’s oldest political party is in the hands of junior-most dynast Rahul Gandhi. Every day people witness his inability of handling things. Gandhi and his Congress are over excited about attaining victory in Madhya Pradesh (MP), Rajasthan and Chhatisgarh. Understand that the victory for Congress, barring Chhattisgarh, is not a real victory.
Overall, anti-incumbency played a key role in all these three states. Despite the three-term rule by the BJP in MP, Congress did not get a complete majority, they have to form the government with the help of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and others. Post election results, one thing is clear, those who have dumped Gandhi and treated Congress as an extra luggage are cobbling with him on a positive alliance for 2019.
BJP losing three states may be a slight dent, but not to consider a rout for 2019. The positive points for BJP are — fiscal deficit under control, inflation under control, gross domestic product (GDP) rates are moderate and security at a high.
Thus, I believe, the recent result of five states elections will not change the narrative of political scenario for the BJP.
People’s hope for 2019 elections should be a selection of a dynamic, uncorrupt, secular, strong leader who can take the nation forward. So, what do we hope for?
— The reader is an office manager based in Abu Dhabi.
