BJP sweeping Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand with massive leads has proven the mass popularity of Narendra Modi. Uttar Pradesh assembly elections 2017 saw a historic landslide verdict in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The result was quite a surprise to a large number of people, political observers, activists and even to the BJP leaders. The BJP bagged 312 seats of 403 in Uttar Pradesh and it also made a giant leap in Uttarakhand election. The BJP won 56 seats in the 70-member Assembly to the Congress’ 11.
However, the chants heard in suburbs of UP is all about Modi, Modi, and Modi alone. The people were clear about voting to the idea of ‘development’ and it was clearly not on the basis of caste polarisation. In fact, it has enabled Modi as a pan-India leader and might impact the Indian political system.
Impact
The state assembly results have been a massive boost for PM and the party, and also been a big blow to the opposition’s morale. It will be advantageous for BJP in 2019 general elections. BJP Rajya Sabha Members will go up by 2018. It will fasten the law making and also enable key reforms in the country.
With a high number of states under BJP rule, Modi will have a free hand in choosing the next President of India. The party is already in power in Maharashtra, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Assam. Adding few more states will give it a comfortable position in electing the President of its choice.
The UP win also marks a big leap forward for the BJP in the Rajya Sabha. This historic win will, in fact, alter the composition of Rajya Sabha. The Rajya Sabha has about 250 seats and of which, one-third of the members retiring every two years. Presently, the BJP has 56 and congress has 59 members. When we count the allies of BJP, the number goes up to 79, but short of the majority of 126. The new arithmetic would send about 11 members for the BJP in 2018, which will increase the numbers to over 80. Now, with numbers in Rajya Sabha, the government can pass controversial bills and introduce a stricter law against Benami transactions.
Implications
Some of the important conclusions that can be drawn largely include Modi as the most accepted political figure in India. The results overall indicate the need for the rethink in the strategy of all parties. Arvind Kejriwal’s dream of establishing himself as one of the major political figures has gone from the scene after AAP’s loss in Punjab and not winning a single seat in Goa. Many of the regional parties which depended largely on the caste and religious consideration will have to rethink about better strategies.
Congress has miserably failed under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and it has to end the dynastic rule and should look for a person outside the Gandhi family. Even former finance minister P. Chidambaram had said that the Congress is not a private enterprise that only a family member has to head it; there should be a decentralisation of power.
The political parties have to move away from casteist and religious cards to issues that matter the most to the public. If the political parties were to come together and form an alliance to defeat the BJP in 2019, then they must have a credible leader to represent them. Which also means that the leader needs to be a charismatic figure with better chances of dragging the crowd with them. India is changing and so should the political parties if they were to be in the race.