In a recent article by The Guardian, political analyst Hannah Ellis-Peterson highlighted the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) triumphant victories in the state assemblies of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan. These wins, combined with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity and emotive issues like the Ram Temple inauguration, have made a third consecutive term for the BJP seem almost inevitable in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Ellis-Peterson emphasized the saffron sweep in the heartland states, stating that it adds strength and momentum to the BJP’s campaign. PM Modi himself expressed confidence, stating that the hat-trick of victories guarantees success in the 2024 elections.
The article outlined the current political landscape, citing the BJP’s stronghold in the populous Hindi belt of the north and the perceived weakness of the national opposition, primarily the Indian National Congress. While the regional opposition exists, it is seen as fragmented and weak on a national level.
The Guardian noted the BJP’s nationwide pre-election push, the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra,’ deploying thousands of government officers to towns and villages to highlight the party’s successes over the past nine years. Additionally, the Ministry of Defence is setting up 822 ‘selfie points’ at various locations where people can take photos with a cutout of PM Modi.
The article acknowledged PM Modi’s rise to power in 2014 and his re-election in 2019, secured after Bharat’s airstrikes on Pakistan, which fueled a wave of national security sentiment. However, it remains uncertain if the BJP can replicate its landslide mandate from 2019.
The BJP’s dominant victories in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh were strategically led by PM Modi, who took center stage in campaigns instead of local leaders. The article commended Modi’s emphasis on welfare schemes and a nationalistic agenda in these campaigns.
The grand opening of the Ram Temple on January 22 is expected to dominate the BJP’s agenda before the general elections. The article quoted BJP’s national vice president, Baijayant Panda, expressing confidence in the party’s prospects for the Lok Sabha polls, attributing it to the “Modi premium.”
Panda dismissed concerns about a third term for PM Modi, asserting that it would be defined by economic success and Bharat becoming the world’s third-largest major economy. He pushed back against allegations of communalism, challenging anyone to provide an example of discrimination against minorities in Bharat’s governance.
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