Three messages from the assembly elections for political parties

Indian democracy is often derided as flawed. There are also those who call it a sham. But the message coming out loud and clear from the assembly elections in the five states is that Indian democracy has defied the critics and has actually matured.

By all accounts, the Bharatiya Janata Party made a concerted effort demolished win the election in all the five states. It threw in everything, its formidable war chest, its propaganda machinery and its central ministers besides the Prime Minister Narendra Modi into the campaign. Saturation coverage in the media, surveys and opinion polls showing a tilt towards the BJP, an advertisement blitz and the RSS footprints on the ground were all too visible.

In comparison to the loud, strident, foul-mouthed and laced with communal innuendo that marked BJP’s campaign, the campaign by the Congress in contrast was subdued. While BJP unleashed its central ministers, the Prime Minister and Amit Shah, besides the UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, to rally people, Congress relied almost exclusively on party president Rahul Gandhi. The party clearly was no match in terms of resources and the war chest that the BJP had.

Also factor the media, the partisan role of most TV news channels and the opinion polls and surveys causing considerable confusion in the mind of the voters. And yet Congress overcame the odds. There is a message that these elections again hold out. That money power and propaganda can work to an extent but Indian voters are mature enough to see through such smokescreens.

Rahul Gandhi did not bad mouth opponents. But he spoke simply and directly to the people. He spoke of the issues of concern to the country and accused the Government and the Prime Minister of diverting their attention with non-issues. He blamed the Prime Minister for mismanaging the economy, for his disastrous Demonetisation and faulty implementation of the GST.

Yogi Adityanath addressed more rallies than Prime Minister Modi. And what the Prime Minister could not say, the Yogi made up with his rhetoric and with frequent and faulty references to mythology. He also tried every trick in the book to run down Rahul Gandhi. I am not sure but judging by media reports, Rahul Gandhi took no notice of the Yogi and made no attempt to dignify him with a response.

All out attempts were made by the BJP to raise the Ram temple issue to affect the assembly elections and drive a wedge between communities. The party’s campaign also hovered, as usual, around the cow. Both are important to India and Indians but the electorate rejected cynical attempts to politicise them.

Rahul Gandhi’s far more earthy concerns about farmers’ distress, growing unemployment and the plight of the poor seem to have struck a chord instead. He almost single handedly has spoken about the Rafale deal and has not minced his words in repeating that the Chowkidar people had trusted had turned out to be a ‘Chor’. His constant hammering on how the Government had dealt with an Indian PSU like Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. carried more weight with the people, especially in view of BJP leaders’ silence or casual dismissal of the charges.

Another facet of the campaign was Rahul Gandhi’s ability to mix with the people, the media and the youth and answer their questions. The ease with which he interacted with the common man was in sharp contrast to the BJP’s arrogant warriors. Rahul Gandhi’s narrative and his aptitude to share his thoughts with the press without any inhibition created and promoted an atmosphere of dialogue directly with the people. Finally, his message did what it did in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Earlier in Karnataka, Rahul had shown his innate capacity to raise straight questions and develop deep understandings. If there was a single person, who could understand better how to keep the BJP out of power in Karnataka, it was Rahul. When from the Governor’s House to BS Yeddyurappa’s quarters, it was a settled issue for the BJP.

When Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal defeated the BJP in Kairana, with the help of Akhilesh Yadav’s SP and Mayawati’s BSP and, of course, the minorities, the entire country understood the way to defeat the BJP, not only in Uttar Pradesh but everywhere else. This is a workable model and its success is achievable.

Rahul Gandhi’s work is cut out. And he has two daunting tasks before him. He has to bring the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party together in Uttar Pradesh and forge an effective alliance. While Akhilesh Yadav has already made the first move and established a channel of communication with Mayawati---the alliance along with RLD defeating the BJP comprehensively in the bypolls in Phulpur, Kairana and Gorakhpur---the alliance will need the Congress too to put up a united front.

I am aware that people consider Mayawati to be a hard nut. But I have known her personally. She is a leader and is amenable to reason. I am certain she will eventually come round to put up a united face in Uttar Pradesh, notwithstanding attempts by the BJP to divide the opposition, especially in UP.

The other important task before Rahul Gandhi is to forge an effective opposition unity nationally. I believe it is still a work in progress and Rahul Gandhi will have to travel the extra mile to make it happen.