India: Gujarat Assembly elections - BJP masterclass in religious polarisation ...

After Gujarat, nobody can say BJP is party of 'vikas'

BJP's consistent electoral success over past few years has been product of having far more money, being far better organised, and playing far better caste politics than the Opposition

( December 9, 2017) 

 

 by Mihir S Sharma

One of the biggest myths of the past few years has been the notion that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wins elections on the basis of “aspirations”, of its promises of “development”, and because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reputation as an economic manager. In fact, the party’s consistent electoral success over the past few years has been the product of having far more money, being far better organised, and playing far better caste politics than the Opposition.

This myth has been thoroughly exploded in the Gujarat assembly election. This is an election that was the BJP’s to lose. Nobody gave the Congress — unprepared, inefficient, underfinanced, and with a broadly unpopular leader — much of a chance. For good reason; after all, Modi is Gujarat’s favourite son. And, let’s be clear, I still think the Congress will not just lose on December 18, but will lose badly. But that’s not the point: the point is to examine how the BJP behaves when it fears it may just have its back against the wall. At the moment of crisis, “development” goes out the window, “aspiration” is dumped, praises of Modi the economic manager are reserved for appreciative well-heeled audiences at New Delhi’s many winter “summits”. Instead, we are treated to a master-class in religious polarisation and caste politics. Is Rahul Gandhi a Hindu? Does Hardik Patel represent all Patidars, or can some be sliced off from his coalition? If the Congress comes into power, will it not — horrors! — appoint a Muslim chief minister? Isn’t Mani Shankar Aiyar insulting OBCs? [. . .]


http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/it-s-not-the-economy-stupid-117120900005_1.html