Picture : ANI / X
The election commission of India readers are yet to announce the polls dates the 2024 Lok Sabha General Elections . It will be announced soon. One assumes . But even before the poll dates and the voter percentage the unanimous view in news channels whether it is the Hindi or English the verdict seems to be clear – Modi 3.0 is on its way and it is an unstoppable force .
Buoyed by the Ram Temple at Ayodhya , the implementation of the UCC in Uttarakhand , and aiming to implement the contentious CAA before the Lok Sabha polls, and Indian economy placed fifth in the world BJP is going all out with all guns blazing with its agenda – of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’. And the party has coined a slogan too . A target it has set for itself in the elections this time around – abki baar 400 paar. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi had himself expressed the belief that this time the confidence in his government is such that 400 target is indeed achievable.
And slogans have been the USP of the BJP at the polls to drive home the narrative . In 2019 it was Main Bhi Chowkidar and recently former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav in cheeky jibe targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi with no family comment. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned the attack into a slogan with a reply – ‘Mera Bharat, mera parivar’ reply . And expectedly several BJP leaders put the slogan on their respective X handles expressing their solidarity with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Another slogan or adage the BJP or the NDA is using in every way is #Modigurantee.
As the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh weathered a storm with BJP winning the Rajya Sabha polls. Congress leader and party General secretary Jairam Ramesh took a jibe at Modi guarantee slogan saying , Modi government has just one guarantee – topple all Congress Governments. We will not let this happen.”
Moreover, The reason for the BJP confidence could be from the fact the opposition – INDIA Alliance has not presented a united face. The seat sharing is taking it’s time, joint rallies have not really taken off as expected . BJP has already come out the the first list. The Congress is yet to do the same . The GOP ( Congress) is feeling the heat from the alliances with regional parties ;like TMC and SP not willing budge from the seats . Forcing the Congress to take back- seat. A big price the party is paying in it’s goal to keep the BJP- led NDA out of power. Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra unlike the earlier one has not struck the right chord despite the claims of the party leaders . How much it will translate into votes remains to be seen . Given the state of the opposition, BJP is exuding the confidence of return to power for a hat-trick under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
As BJP is upbeat about returning to power and many channels already declaring a done deal, there are others like Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge who fears that Modi 3.0 will have consequences for India . “This will be the last opportunity for the people to save democracy in India. If Narendra Modi wins another election, there will be dictatorship in the country. The BJP will rule India like Putin in Russia,” Kharge was quoted as saying while addressing a party rally. Launching a scathing attack on the BJP and RSS, Kharge said that the present government under Modi is being run by intimidating states and leaders of the opposition. “Notices are being served to the leaders and ED and Income Tax have become weapons to grind the political opponents,” he claimed adding that the people should be aware of the BJP and RSS ideologies. He alleged that the leaders are threatened to leave their parties, friendship and alliances if they oppose the ideologies of BJP and RSS.
The battle – lines are drawn and the the polls fever and the charges and counter charges between BJP and the INDIA alliance would only get shriller once the dates are announced. And the onus is on the BJP to meet the target of abki baar 400 paar . Will they achieve the target they have set for themselves only time will tell . Keep watching this space.
