The Election Commission of India is yet to announce the schedule for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024. But the BJP and the NDA are confident of the mantra that has been repeated in almost all the rallies addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his whirlwind tour of several states and his inauguration spree of several projects – “Abki Baar, 400 Paar.”
Yet amidst the supreme confidence of bagging 400 plus seats for the NDA , the BJP have not shied away from striking alliances in states where they have less chances of doing well.
Taking dig at the BJP for it’s allies search Senior Congress leader and party General Secretary Jairam Ramesh was quoted as saying , If they are so optimistic about winning 370 on their own and past 400 with alliance partners in the NDA, then why are they running after BJD, Pawan Kalyan, TDP for Tie- ups?
In Andhra Pradesh , BJP has struck a deal with Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party. Out of 25 seats, TDP will contest 17 , BJP six while JSP two seats .
In Bihar BJP led NDA after JD(U) Nitish Kumar return has agreed to give 5 seats to Chirag Paswan’s LJP. In Karnataka too, BJP who had termed the Congress – JD(S) alliance an opportunistic alliance ahs now teamed up with JD( S) for the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls. For the record, In 2018 assembly elections in Karnataka , JD(S) was the third-largest party but after a post-poll alliance with the Rahul Gandhi led Indian National Congress, HD Kumaraswamy was sworn in as the Chief Minister on 23 May 2018 . The government soon fell on July 23 2019 .
Moreover, remember BJP is teaming up with the same H D Deve Gowda who in order to keep the BJP out of power at the Centre became Prime Minister and led United Front (UF) coalition government in 1996. Clearly a Massive U turn.
Further, BJP has been upfront in battling corruption and had coined a slogan too – ‘Na Khaunga, Na Khane Doonga’. This will be put to test with Naidu in the NDA . Interestingly , Naidu readers note was arrested for allegedly misappropriating funds from the Skill Development Corporation, which resulted in a purported loss of over Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer. He had spent 53 days in Rajahmundry Central Jail. Now that he has joined the NDA , the case too it seems will be brushed under the carpet. What happens now to the BJP slogan – ‘Na Khaunga, Na Khane Doonga’. Warming up to Naidu and gunning at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Delhi Liquor policy will need some explaining from the BJP. Well, with Godi media at the helm it is unlikely to to be raised .
Naidu’s not the only case , leader of the opposition in West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari features prominently in the Narada Tapes of 2016 . But having moved over to the BJP from TMC the issue is now in cold storage. BJP came out all guns blazing against former Congress Chief Minister in Maharashtra Ashok Chavan during the Adarsh scam .
Chavan, who was the chief minister of Maharashtra for two short stints between 2008 and 2010, had to abruptly step down following allegations of his involvement in the Adarsh Co-operative Housing Society scam. Now scam charge is history, Chavan has since exited the Congress sand is now BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra. How time changes !
IN the political season and General elections round the corner it is interesting to see netas switch and change allies with ease . The Public at the end gets to witness the festival of democracy with so many twists and turns. Ideology, party loyalty , words go for toss at the end .
