BJP likely to cover up its Assembly poll setbacks by intensifying its attack on country's secular foundation

While the propaganda machinery of the Sangh Parivar was applauding the ‘Modi magic’ during COVID, the people of five Indian states have written a different story. They came out with their verdict. These states represent the south, east and northeast regions of the country. Their response leaves undeniable impact over the contemporary history of India as a whole.

Of course, the nature of the electoral outcome was not the same in all the five states/UT. But the conclusion of the people’s verdict was a severe blow to the greedy game plan of the BJP to a large extent.

BJP faced an ordeal, categorical and implicit, in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and the mauling it suffered cannot be compensated by its little victories in Assam and Pondicherry. The tag of invincibility attached to the BJP by its stormtroopers was torn off and buried by the people.

The BJP jumped into the battlefield boasting that sweeping victories were awaiting it in all the five states/UT. Its strategy was the same as it tried to cement its position in Assam and Pondicherry and to capture power in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and even in Kerala.

The Modi-Shah duo themselves were leading the battle from the front claiming that the whole of India would be following their footprints. Muscle power and money power were mobilized up to unimaginable levels. The amount of black money pumped into the election fray by the ruling party would remain as an all-time shame for them.

The Election Commission of India was turned into a mute spectator. Under their stewardship, COVID protocol and restrictions were thrown to the dustbin. When the country was reeling under the fierce spread of COVID-19, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister were finding pleasure in leading mammoth road shows everywhere. The ever-increasing death tolls due to non-availability of oxygen and ventilators did not bother them.

In a most cunning manner, they misused religion and faith in their ugly pursuit for political power. But the people of India gave them a deserving rejoinder. The secular-minded patriotic masses of three states gave the BJP a crushing defeat.

The victory of the LDF in Kerala came even as BJP claimed that it would win 35 seats and form the new government in Kerala led by ‘Metro man’ E Sreedharan. But the state’s politically enlightened masses ensured that the party even lost the one seat it had managed to win in 2016.

The victory of the DMK-led front in Tamil Nadu also has its own lessons for the nation. The Left parties also played their due role in ensuring this victory. Though AIADMK was the leading partner of the BJP front, it was only on account of the number of contesting seats. The political leadership of that front was in the hands of BJP, directly controlled by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.

But the people of Tamil Nadu shattered their dreams in the land of Periyar Ramaswamy Nayakar. Tamil Nadu emphatically proclaimed that communal-casteist politics of the RSS-BJP has no space in that soil.

In West Bengal, the verdict was of a different nature. The people’s mandate was in favour of All India Trinamool Congress. There too the BJP was dreaming of forming a government. But it could never reach near the needed number.

Though the colossal defeat of the BJP is a positive element in the Bengal results, there are serious issues rising from these results before the Left to be resolved. The Left front and all its constituent parties would surely make in-depth analysis of this electoral debacle. The Communist parties know from their own experience that no defeat would be the end of history.

The achievements BJP made in Assam and Pondicherry would automatically be nullified by its emphatic defeat in three states. But a most right reactionary party like BJP is unlikely to learn any lesson from the experience. It would try to cover up its defeats by intensifying its attack on the country's secular foundation. Communal-fascist agenda will be broadened to fan up violence and hatred in the society.

Religion and State will be hijacked to divide the unity of the masses, and draconian laws like farm laws and labour codes would be used to suppress the rights of the working people and to serve the greed of the corporates.

Fascism everywhere has only one master, the exploiting class. It has only one path, the path of racial pride and corporate greed. RSS-BJP in all likelihood would be treading that path in the coming days. The Assembly election results tell the people of India to be vigilant to face the challenges. The results provide them ample reasons to believe that BJP can be defeated if there is a reliable alternative.

(IPA Service)

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