I think India should seriously “thank” voters of Bihar for defeating the BJP. I am saying this despite being a BJP/Modi fan and following is why.
First of all, Bihar assembly election results should not appear as if voters in Bihar do not love Modi/BJP. After all, during last year’s Loksabha elections BJP had a clean sweep in Bihar. Different results in parliament Vs assembly elections mean voters have voted ‘rationally’ and not on sentimentality – which is a good sign.
This election was a fight between ‘time-tested’ Nitish who has done good development in the state Vs PM Modi and his party who had only tall promises to make. Bihar was not really much enchanted by Modi ji’s development mantra, since Nitish was able to project himself as a competent “agent of development”.
And while Dadri happened in UP, what was all that “beef fight” in Bihar? While Hindus were not entertained by all the communal tension it was causing, Muslim population in Bihar which is only slightly below 20% must have got consolidated in favor of ‘secular’ Nitish/Lalu. Message: People who vote for/against you are real people who have to live daily lives taking help of all communities/religions and your divisive poll issues may make Twitter get abuzz but real people do not like it.
It is true that people of Bihar dreaded Lalu – but they had faith in Nitish that until he is in power, he would keep Lalu and his thugs in check. Hence they voted for so called grand alliance.
People also saw that it was not only Nitish who had company of ‘rejected’ leaders like Lalu but even BJP had its fair share in the form of Manjhi/Paswan. So on this account both were equal.
After winning general elections BJP has grown so arrogant that it miffed its ‘natural allies’ like Shiv Sena in Maharashtra which fought against it in Bihar. That must not have caused real damage on votes, but it was a confused message for the party supporters.
A non-functioning parliament and hence no big ‘development’ happening on the ground would have made people realize that voting for BJP would only continue the ‘status quo’. They rather wanted to give Nitish another chance and be in ‘safe hands’.
The message for BJP on national scale is clear – deliver or perish. Do not take escape routes by blaming Congress for all the ills in the country. When people have given you such a majority, they expect you to know how to clear your path and move ahead. If BJP gets this message, we all benefit.
I don’t know who has really won in Bihar elections.
I don’t know who has really won in Bihar elections.
- In the outgoing assembly, JDU had 115 seats; now the party will have around 73 on its own. Nitish ji was defacto “boss” in the previous govt but no longer in the new one.
- Lalu ji’s party has won more seats than JDU. But for the next 5 years he will have to live every single day seeing his sworn enemy as CM. That is not funny.
- Congress had 4 seats earlier; it will remain negligible and unwanted even in the new assembly.
- BJP used to sit on the opposition benches – it will continue sitting on the opposition benches and try again next time.
- Lalu ji’s party has won more seats than JDU. But for the next 5 years he will have to live every single day seeing his sworn enemy as CM. That is not funny.
- Congress had 4 seats earlier; it will remain negligible and unwanted even in the new assembly.
- BJP used to sit on the opposition benches – it will continue sitting on the opposition benches and try again next time.
I think the only real winners are parties like Owaisi’s and Kejriwal’s. Despite not winning a single seat themselves, their sadistic happiness knows no boundaries.
