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#Glance@2024 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 3.0 ,Rahul Gandhi Is LoP, Akhilesh Yadav Arrives ; Omar Abdullah, Hemant Soren, Devendra Fadnavis Return As Chief Ministers

As the year 2024 nears it’s end and new year 2025 just few days away . It is time to look back at the year that was in the national scene politically and what lies ahead .

The year began with the big bang  2024 General elections and  scripting  a place in history  Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured a third term in office . But this win unlike in 2019 was a tad different. BJP led  NDA won  293 seats. BJP tally came down from 303 to 240 . And hence coalition became the order of the day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi  got crucial support from TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) to ensure his return as Prime Minister. Chirag Paswan with his party LJP( Ram Vilas Paswan)  became a valuable member of the NDA with his five seats. Coalition politics is something Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not accustomed to. So it’s a challenge . And the  first sign of this  scenario was evident withe the Waqf bill and One Nation, One Election bills were sent to the  JP for further deliberations.

Despite the gung- ho of Modi 3.0 the  slide of the rupee against the dollar , the washing machine charge ( giving clean chits to Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel, Ashok Chavan in corruption cases)  has exposed the BJP’s double speak on fighting corruption. As J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in an interview said , BJP has no problem with corrupt and dynasts as long as they are with them. They  have problem when they are there in the opposition.

Congress dig at frequent flyer PM Modi  appears to be true as the PM continues to ignore the violence marred Manipur.  Similarly , the brazen defence of Gautam Adani ( arrest warrant issued by New York Court) by BJP spokespersons and equally supported by  eager Godi media anchors on Prime Time meant the issue  was not allowed to be discussed not only on the so called nation’s  so called nation’s sharpest opinion or  hard facts. And even parliament.

The opposition too put up a strong fight. Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra saw the  party improve it’s tally to 99 and the overall INDIA Block’s tally at 240 .  Samajwadi party won 37 seats .

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s vice-like grip continued as the Trinamool Congress won 29 seats ( party won al the six By-polls in the state too 6/6 amidst the RG Kar medical student rape and Sandeshkhali episode. It showed West Bengal is with Didi and BJP’ and Godi Media’s mission had failed miserably ) . With INDIA alliance floundering there is talk of Mamata taking over the reigns of the  INDIA bloc to take on the  BJP  .  Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin’s DMK  won 22 seats.  Giving the opposition the much needed number power in the parliament to take on the government.

Given the numbers in the Lok Sabha, Congress had the chance to appoint the leader of the opposition and Rahul Gandhi after overwhelming  support / backing by Congress party  became LoP . It is his first constitutional position in his two decade old career . Having won from Wayanad and Rae Bareli . Rahul gave up Wayanad and paving the way for sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra ( Who won the Lok Sabha By election by over 4.10 lakh votes)  to become an MP and begin her political sojourn .  Setting up three Gandhi’s in parliament, CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi LoP , Rae Bareli and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra MP,  Wayanad.

The Congress party though  had to face  defeats in  Haryana,  and came a cropper in Maharashtra.  Fortunately it’s alliance with National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir and JMM in Jharkhand  were it’s face saver.   It has been year to forget.

The giant killer in the General Elections 2024  was undoubtedly  Samajwadi party  led by  former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. The SP  storm swept the BJP  out of Uttar Pradesh with stunning 37 seats, BJP tally fell from 62 to 33 out of 80 seats  . Akhilesh had arrived with a bang  and it has rattled  the BJP. BJP  overcame the Lok Sabha polls rout as it won the by-polls 7-2 later on for the assembly  against the SP . With Sambhal on the boil and rumours of Mandir under Masjid, political temperatures are soaring in Uttara Pradesh.  Thereby setting the stage is set for  an epic BJP vs SP clash in 2027 Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

Jammu and Kashmir finally saw elections in 2024 and the peaceful conduct of the polls showed people were against militancy and wanted normalcy.  In the polls that followed it was the  National Conference – Congress alliance  which came to power in the  Union Territory. With restoration of statehood as their main plank and strong objection to Article 370 ( seeking restoration) on it’s agenda 54 – year-old Omar Abdullah returned as Chief Minister for the second time in his career . It was remarkable comeback for Omar who was put under house arrest after Article 370  was removed on August 5, 2019.

Like Omar Abdullah, JMM supremo Hemant Soren  after spending four months in jail in Land scam case bounced back with a stupendous election win to return as chief Minister. It is his fourth stint as Chief Minister. The JMM-led alliance secured a comfortable majority with 56 seats in the 81-member assembly, while the BJP-led NDA won 24 seats.

Overcoming Lok Sabha poll debacle, BJP led Mahayuti ( 235 seats out of 288 seats )  scripted a remarkable win in Maharashtra Assembly polls. The epic win saw Devendra Fadnavis return as Chief Minister for the third time – first from 2014- 2019 and the  second lasted mere five days . The huge Mahayuti win decimated the MVA ) Congress, Shiv Sena(UBT) and NCP (SP) who could win  just 50 seats. The MVA in the Lok Sabha Polls  won 30 out of 48 seats. Congress 13 , Shiv Sena ( UBT) 9 and Sharad Pawar’s NCP ( SP) 8. Ajit Pawar became Deputy Chief Minister for the record sixth time. Former  Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was named Deputy Chief Minister.

There was  a change of guard after 24 years in Odisha as Naveen Patnaik’s long reign came to an end.  BJD won 51 seats while the  BJP powered home to win 78 seats four more than the majority .  In the Lok Sabha polls to BJP won 20 out of 21 seats. So crucial in  Lok Sabha.

As the year drew to it’s close , India lost a visionary stateman, economist and the architect of our economic reforms with is landmark budget in 1991 ( quote which is iconic) former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who passed away at 92. The tributes to him across party lines and the from   the world proved his stature and standing without chest thumping.

As new year 2025 comes one hopes there is sanity in our political discourse which at the moment seems bitter. ONe can only keep fingers crossed and hope for the best.

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