BJP must not rest content but firm up ‘Mission 2024’ strategies

India’s journey till the semifinal in the ODI cricket World Cup 2023 and the showing of the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) in the state legislative assembly elections, the results of which were declared on Sunday, and deemed as the semifinals in the run-up to the general elections, brings forth a unique parallel. The Men in Blue not only won their semi-final showdown with a flourish but they also looked invincible throughout the championship only to falter at the last leg. The Saffron men, on their part, albeit not being unbeaten and invincible during their tenure, came up with an emphatic victory in the electoral ‘semifinal’. It is not to suggest that an astounding showing will assure an encore in the final nor does it indicate that the near invincible form will hold one in good stead on D-Day. Quite like cricket, electoral politics is also a game of glorious (may not be as glorious always) uncertainties, where nothing can be predicted until the last ball is bowled. What can be said with some degree of confidence is that one stands a fair chance, if the performance has been consistently good, the law of averages, notwithstanding. Lest one forgets, superstitions run high in sports and politics.

All these do not mean that the profound victory of the Saffron Brigade in three of the five states will not have any significant impact in the upcoming general elections. The Assembly poll results will certainly be a morale-booster for the BJP, which will be determined to go the whole hog while using the state machinery at its disposal in non-BJP ruled states. This aggressive approach will also fuel switching of loyalties by the ever in waiting turncoats from other parties to BJP. In hindsight, this could lead to overconfidence, which may, in turn, lead to committing a faux pas and unwittingly gifting ammunition to the opposition parties, which will take delight in firing political sorties. This may also give birth to inner-party rifts, factionalism and open rebellions against the leadership making it crucial for the Mo-Shah’s party to stay vigilant.

They will also have to keep in mind that assembly and Lok Sabha elections are different ballgames altogether. Had it not been so, BJP would not have been dealt a humiliating defeat in Bengal, two years after posting a landslide in the 2019 general elections.

The BJP applecart was upset even in Karnataka. The Congress showing in Telangana State implies that it is time the BJP pulls up its socks. One should also not forget that Congress, often considered a sinking ship, held on to its vote bank (ranging between 38 and 40 per cent) in all those states. BJP could increase its percentage by eating into other parties’ vote bank. The greatest challenge and priority of INDIA will therefore be to arrest division in the non-BJP votes. And BJP’s simple task would be to keep INDIA divided, one way or the other! The hardest and worst impact of this poll outcome would be on the people, particularly in non-BJP ruled states like Bengal, which will be run by lame-duck governments till the general elections.