By?Yash Shukla
With polling coming to an end in the Gujarat elections and stalwarts of both the Congress and the BJP taking rest after a hectic campaign, the media is beginning to analyse the exit polls. The elections have garnered disproportionate attention due to a number of factors.? Monumental blunders like the central government’s demonetisation program?and their hasty implementation of the Goods and Services tax may be the Achilles heel of the BJP. The success that Congress has had in making alliances with Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakur has also given some sleepless nights to the BJP leadership. The incumbant Rupani government is also facing an anti-incumbency factor as the Bhartiya Janata Party has been ruling the state for 22 years. Moreover, the shape of the economy and sluggish growth are also not helping the BJP.
Both parties played sectarian politics
The BJP put everything at stake to win the election. It has not even spared Modi’s clean image, which has been tarnished by partisan sectarian statements made by the Prime Minister. After drawing flak for the Shamshaan/Kabristan statement in the Uttar Pradesh elections, the Prime Minister has recently accused the Congress party of being hand in glove with Pakistan. Losing this political battle in his home state would be a?nightmare-come-true for Amit Shah and Narendra Modi.
The Congress party,?on the other hand, has also left no stone unturned in its efforts to win this election. The party gave itself a new lease on life through the anointment of another Gandhi scion as the party president. Rahul Gandhi’s reputation for immaturity and lack of restraint now receded into the background as he has honed his rhetorical attacks on the Modi government. Gandhi has also played the sectarian card by making successive temple visits and false promises of a reservation for the Patel community.
One thing that has become pretty is that the BJP is not going to get as many seats as it won in the last election. This will be seen as a victory for Congress, even if it fails to win the election. However, with an unexpected victory, the Congress party?would be in a better position to make a strong showing against the BJP in states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where the party has strong leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sachin Pilot are? BJP.
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