Preparing for the Election 2024

 

PREPARING FOR 2024

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All the eyes are fixed on the coming election. What will the Parliament look like on 2024. Till recently there was no hope that the Congress Party and the rest of the opposition parties would pose any challenge to the ruling BJP. The BJP party was confident that it would sweep the elections.

 

There were several attempts by the opposition parties to forge an alliance against the BJP.  But this did not see any tangible results. There were contradictions among the regional parties. It was believed that the Congress Party was not willing to give space for the opposition parties and form an alliance. Aam Aadmi Party wanted to finish off the Congress Party.  In UP. Samajwadi Party did not believe that it could forming alliance with the Congress. In earlier attempt for alliance between Samajwadi Party and the Congress Party did not bear any positive results.  In West Bengal. Trinamool Congress Party did not want to have any understanding with the Congress Party. Though the Trinamool Party was an offshoot of the Congress party and probably because it was an offshoot of the Congress party, they were at war with each other. This animosity had heightened when Congress Party formed an alliance with CPM to fight during the last Assembly Election in West Bengal.

 

During the last assembly elections in Bihar, JDU was in alliance with the BJP. They did not believe that they could do any business with the Congress party. Congress Party is also in alliance with RJD which had opposed JDU. But this alliance did not help the Congress party to improve its position in Bihar.  The Congress Party had demanded a big share of seats, which they could not win in the end. According to some this alliance led to a kind of weakening of RJD Party. In Telangana, Telangana Rastra Samity (TRS) was determined not to have any understanding with the Congress Party.

 

Since the Congress Party has a national Presence with the biggest vote share, no formidable alliance would be formed against the BJP by ignoring the Congress Party.  Despite this, Trinamool, Congress, Samajwadi Party, and TRS were uncompromising in their opposition to the comgress party.

 

But today we have seen the emergence of the “Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).” The Chief Minister of Bihar had broken his alliance with the BJP because he realized that the BJP was planning to destroy JDU and become a single largest party in Bihar. Nitish Kumar once again came out of alliance with BJP and formed an alliance with RJD and remained the Chief Minister.  It was a magnanimous gesture on the part of RJD to agree to this alliance with Nithish Kumar and give him the chief ministership and form the government. I say it was a magnanimous gesture on the part of RJD because RJD had experienced a betrayal from JDS; RJD had bigger number of MLAs and further it did not insist on leading the alliance.

 

Nithish Kumar slowly develops a conviction that opposition should come together and defeat the BJP in 2024. He went out of his way and meet Mamata Banerjee, Sharad Pawar, Chandrasekar Rao (TRS) and Arvind Kejriwal (Aam Aadmi Party) who responded positively to the suggestion of Nithish Kumar. It is very likely that Nithish Kumar also saw a possibility of becoming a prime minister if the opposition alliance gain power at the centre.

 

The Congress Party came to the lime light and showed itself to be a powerful force, probably more powerful than the rest of the opposition parties put together. Rahul Gandhi ventured into a Padayatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. His objective was to bring unity and solidarity among the citizens of the country. He wanted to oppose the polarizing and divisive politics of BJP. He called this Yatra Bharat Jodo Yatra. There had been some apprehensions other political parties about the ability of Rahul Gandhi to complete this ambitious yatra. But Rahul Gandhi proved everybody wrong.  When he started his yatra from Kanyakumari, DMK and the civil society in Tamil Nadu came in big numbers and supported his yatra and walked with him. In Kerala too, he got a very warm welcome everywhere. Wherever he went people welcomed him and he was able to meet youth, women, farmers and had conversation with them. All the people from different walks of life showed great appreciation for the Yatra. They spoke to him about their disillusion with the present BJP government, about the price rise, unemployment. Rahul Gandhi met women who poured out their sufferings. The people showed such a great interest in what Rahul had to say they stood in pouring rain and listened to him till the end of his speech. The heavy rain did not deter them. Again, in Kashmir he stood in the heavy snow fall and spoke to the people of Kashmir. Congress party does now have a strong following in Kashmir.  Inspite of thid the people attended his public speech in the heavy snow fall. Rahul Gandhi achieved a great success in his Bharat Jodo Yatra, reaching out to the people and learning from them. 

 

The nation saw, a different Rahul Gandhi throughout his journey to Kashmir in Bharat Jodo Yatra. He stood out the tallest leader of the congress party. The BJP had spent huge amount of money to destroy his image and had succeeded in making the general public to believe that Rahul Gandhi was immature, impulsive, and eccentric person, not fit for any political role.  They nick named him ‘PAPPU’. Rahul Gandhi proved them wrong. He destroyed the image that BJP had created of him in the minds of the nation. In all his meeting with the people, his press conferences, and his speeches, he expressed a great concern for the Nafrat that BJP had spread in the country. He promise that he would like to build “Nafrat Ki Bazar Me Mohabbat Ku Dukan.” This iconic slogan appealed to the large population of the country.

 

Another very important development that happened in the life of Mr. Rahul Gandhi was his disqualification from the Parliament and dismissal from his house. In the budget session of the Parliament, Rahul Gandhi gave a spirited speech and raised the number of issues and made the BJP Government and Modi in particular accountable. One of the most important issues was Mr. Modi’s relationship with Adani. Why did Modi take Adani with him to his foreign tours. He also questioned where Adani got 2000 crores which was invested in his shell companies. These questions frightened Modi and wanted to find a way to shut the mouth of Rahul Gandhi.

2019 election Rahul Gandi had given a speech in Kolar where he expressed his surprise to several people who had looted the country seem to have common surname Modi,  Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi and now Narendra Modi. There was an insignificant MLA in Gujarat Assembly, Purnesh Modi. He had filed a defamation case in Surat court. After getting frustrated with nothing coming from this case, he went to the high court in Gujrat and brought a stay on the case. But when Narendra Modi was cornered by Rahul Gandhi he asked Purnesh Modi to revive that case immediately. P. Modi went to the High Court and opened the case. It was with a lightning speed, the trial court in Surat gave two years maximum punishment for Rahul Gandhi, which would eventually make him lose his Parliament membership. As soon as the verdict reached Delhi within a matter of few hours, Rahul Gandhi’s membership to the Parliament was cancelled and he was asked to vacate the house he lived it. Rahul Gandhi fought for stay on the conviction and went right up to the Gujarat High Court. Gujarat judiciary refused to give him any relief. It was like Gujarat mafia trying to corner and teach a lesson to Rahul Gandhi whereby he would be jailed for two years. His membership to be parliament would be cancelled and he would not be able to contest election for another six years. The case was very simple. Purnesh Modi wasn’t really a Modi. He had changed his name into Modi. Secondly Modi is not a generic name for a backward caste. Hence insulting the backward caste by Rahul Gandhi did not happen. Lalit Modi & Nirav Modi, the names he had mentioned in his speech were not the people belonging to backward class. However, Rahul Gandhi did not attend the parliament and he vacated the house with equally the lightning speed. Rahul Gandhi showed tremendous amount of courage and statesmanship. He was not deterred by the consequences of the action of Gujarat mafia.  He was getting ready to go to jail. The manner in which he responded to these developments gave Rahul Gandhi tremendous sympathy from the entire country. The Supreme Court finally gave him the relief and he was reinstated in the parliament. This prooved that Rahul Gandhi is a politician with outstanding qualities.

 

The Bharat Jodo Yatra made the other regional opposition parties realized the extend of support Rahul personally and the Congress Party in general received from the citizens of the country. Those who were not willing to do any business with the Congress party, realised that the Congress Party should lead the opposition alliance. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party did not claim Prime Minister Ship for the party. The newly elected Congress President with his outstanding leadership, also assured the nation that congress Party was not in the race for the Prime Minister ship of the country.

 

Congress party is recognised as a leader of the alliance because the spectacular victory in Karnataka election. Karnataka victroy was a game changer in Indian politics. It changed the entire scenario of politics in the country. It gave new hope for the opposition that together they could defeat the BJP and they are willing to repose their faith in the leadership of the Congress party.

 

The INDIA alliance had shown its strength during the monsoon session. Even the Aam Aadmi Party had been very cooperative and showed faith in Rahul Gandhi. There will be another meeting in Mumbai where the INDIA alliance will meet and trash out seats sharing issues and there is a possibility that the INDIA alliance will put up a spectacular show and defeat the NDA alliance.

 

 

One should say that the puzzle of the united opposition has fallen in its place. There is no doubt in the minds of anybody that Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance will pose a serious challenge for the BJP. It is an alliance of 28 parties. In this respect we can safely conclude the preparation of the opposition parties for the 2024 parliament election in the right direction. 

 

But the BJP is not complacent about their winning possibility. There is a palpable fear in Narendra Modi and the BJP party. Modi did not lose any time in forming a new NDA with 36 parties. The new NDA consist of parties who had deserted NDA, or found no place in NDA. Most of them have no MLAS or MPs in the present state and central government.

 

The body language of the INDIA alliance is very different from the NDA alliance. Indian alliance shows far more respect for their partners and their comradeship. What is noteworthy is there was jostling for the prominent seats on the days when NDA leaders met in Delhi. The NDA alliance projected Modi to be the god who will guarantee a victory to NDA. While all the other people stood at a distance. Modi alone stood in the centre with a big garland for the photo.

 

The one very spectacular aspect of NDA preparation for 2024 election is seen in the attempt of the BJP Party to dilute the position of the election commission. BJP in general and Modi in particular is indeed very frightened of the defeat that they see in the air during the fag end of the monsoon session. BJP has introduced a new bill which will alter the committee that will choose and appoint the election commission. The test of democracy lies in the neutrality of the election commission. This means that if we want the neutral election commission, then the committee that appoints the election commission is constituted by the Prime Minister, the Leader of the opposition and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The Chief justice of the Supreme Court has shown himself to be a fearless man with a strong backbone in his pronouncement of several judgements. He has come out without fear or favour. He being on the committee to appoint election commission would ring the dangerous bells for the BJP. Therefore, BJP has introduced a Bill in the Rajya Shabha to reconstitute the committee that would appoint the election commission.  The bill aims at removing the Supreme Court Chief Justice from the committee and instead include a minister of the Parliament of Modi Government. If this bill is passed, then effectively, BJP will have a complete control on making an appointment of the CEC and election commission. This also means BJP will ensure that the opposition alliance will be handicapped and probably be defeated through the role of the Chief Election Commission. In other word, there will be no fair and free elections, the parliament of 2024.

 

 

 

Manipur was one of the latest laboratory experiments for the BJP government to prepare for the 2024 election. The plot was very simple. It is one of the smallest states in India. The majority  community living in this world is Meethi living in the valleys. Nagas and Kukis are in minority, but not so small in numbers.  Majority of them are Christians. It has been proved beyond doubt that BJP use its chief Minister and its RSS army to spread fear among the minority community of the Christian Kukies and Nagas. They declared them as people who have migrated from Myanmar. They created doubts in the minds of the Meithi group that these Kukies and Nagaras have occupied the most advantageous hilltops. They are declared as adivasis and they hold the best properties on the hilltop. Therefore, it was essential that these people should be driven out. This false propaganda starts the war between the Kukies and Meithis. There seem to be no end this conflict. If this state was ruled by any opposition party the BJP at the Centre would have lost no time in dismissing the chief minister of Manipur and imposing President’s rule. In spite of large-scale killing and violence, burning down the properties the central government does not think that Manipur has totally failed in maintaining law and order. They have continued to keep him in the post of chief ministership because he is the best agent to carry out the plan of the Sangh Parivar.

 

We have seen in many other states where there had been absolutely no problems, no law and order situation and still BJP had changed their chief ministers several times. Amit Shah, the home minister had visited once and spent two or three days and promised the world that he has managed to control the violence. But it was only a promise and the reality was that he could not stop the violence. They say the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had enough time to travel across the world to attend to the minor and small inauguration functions but he did not have time and inclination to visit Manipur.   during. He did not come to the Parliament for the monsoon session because he did not want the issue of Manipur to be discussed in the Parliament. opposition parties had to call no-confidence motion to force Modi to come to the Parliament And in spite of his coming to the Parliament in his one and half hour of reply Speech, he did not come to the point of Manipur violence. Opposition felt being insulted and they walked out of the Parliament. It is only after they had walked out that Modi spoke very briefly on the need to end violence in Manipur. But he did not come up with any concrete plan. It is evident from now that he was the perpetrator of this violence in Manipur, in order to spread fear among the minorities and come to power

 

Another example of this kind of plan was being implemented in the Muslim dominated place called Nuh In Haryana, where RSS and Bajrang Dal took out a religious procession through the areas which was thickly populated by the Muslims. We have not heard of any religious procession where people carry guns, swords and sticks. But these religious people in their religious procession, waved out guns, swords and sticks and challenged the Muslim majority of people living there. Any small throwing of a stone could easily spark violence and this is exactly what happened. It is not important who threw the first stone. What is important is, why did the right-wing people create the situation of intimidation??

 

So for the BJP preparation for the Parliamentary election is to spread Nafrat, create fear in the minds of the minority. Propagate the notion of Hindu khatre Mein Hai and force people to vote for BJP.

 

This is how BJP is preparing for 2024 election. There are serious doubts in the mind of some Modi may indulge into a huge action to attract votes from the people, even the action of sending the army into Pakistan occupied Kashmir.  Indulging in a small scale warfare with the Chinese in Ladak is not ruled out. We have listened to Satpal Malik, the former governor of Jammu and Kashmir.

 

In this scenario how do the civil society members will prepare for the 2024 election.  We must realise that if the BJP comes to power for the third term, our constitution will be changed and Manu Smriti will be our constitution. Bibek Debroy, the adviser of Modi has been given the task of floating an idea that India needs a New constitution.  Our present constitution is too old. He is spreading misinformation that many countries change their constitutions periodically.  If you hear the names of the nations who change their constitutions then you will be ashamed of putting India in the company of these nations.  Under the possible new constitution the people belonging to the minorities, daliths and adivasis will not be full citizens of the country.  They will not have rights the normal citizens enjoy. Shree Golwalkar has already explicated the norms for Indian who are not Hindus.  India will be a Hindu Rashtra.

 

We need to be active in our social discourse and explode the many myths the Hindutva forces are spreading in the country and make people understand the idea of India as secular, democratic and socialist India.