Analysis of mid term elections 2022

 In the just concluded mid term Assembly elections in India BJP, the Hindu Nationalist ruling party at the center won in all states except Punjab. They won the politically crucial state of UP by a comfortable margin. But the real winner in this election is the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). By winning the state of Punjab it now has an opportunity to prove its meddle. If it governs it well they have a bright future in the country.

With this win BJP has proved that it is now an one man party where Moditva has outshone Hindutva. Moditva is now more than Hindutva - a blend of religious fanatism with left of center Capitalism. It yet vindicated that India in spite of being a country of religion right, is economically a center - left nation. The welfare largesse works handsomely reaping handsome electoral yield, be it the BJD in Odisha, BJP in UP or AAP in Punjab. Promise of freebies, subsidies and other benefits given to the rural poor has worked well for all political parties.

People are the best judge in democracy. Their verdict needs to be gracefully accepted. Not accepting it will be an insult to them. At the same time BJP and its supporters need to be graceful in victory and not behave like abysmal winners. I see many poking fun and passing condescending remarks against losing parties. Some poke fun at the winning AAP leader in Punjab being a Comedian. They should know it's not easy to make people laugh and comedy is the most difficult part of acting. As BJP's own party member Paresh Rawal a reputed actor once said - "ACTING KOI BANDAR KAR SAKTA HAI, LEKIN COMEDY KOI ACTOR HI KAR SAKTA HAI (Any monkey can do acting, but only an actor can do comedy).

More than Modi or BJP I am pissed off at the rowdism shown by some BHAKTs, especially those belligerent ones. Some are going ballistic against AAP. After winning 4 out 5 states instead of being satiated they are acting greedy. They need to give credit where credit is due and should remember that years ago they were on the same boat as AAP. In the 1980s with 2 MPs in Parliament they were at the receiving end when their colleagues poked fun at them with the innuendo "HUM DO, HAMARE DO" (We two, we have two) - the famous family planning campaign ad of that era to educate couples to limit themselves to maximum two kids.

We have talked about the winners. Now the biggest loser of this election is the Congress Party, India's GOP (Grand Old Party). How long an entity led by a person with zero accountability will survive ? The Gandhis have passed their expiry date. It's amazing the family is still at helm and likely to continue until it takes Congress party to grave. Anyone leading a corporation would have been shown the door long ago, but Congress party has its ways.

As sun never set over the British empire, once upon a time the sun never set on the Congress empire in India. The party had presence all over the country, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Surat to Shillong. But sun seems to be setting on the party now. The clock has turned a full circle. A popular quip of the time was Congress Party will win as long as "ALLI and COOLIE" (Muslims and poor people) vote for the party. It wasn't far from the truth. Congress is currently ailing as ALLIs (Muslims) have moved to greener pastures long agi, followed by COOLIES (poor folks).

If history is to be believed AAP should never be underestimated, same as BJP were back then when in the 1989 elections they increased their tally from 2 to 89 seats and never looked back. I wish Aamir Admi Party the best and they should not waste their mandate in the volatile state of Punjab. India needs a good opposition for a healthy, functioning democracy. A rising AAP can fullfill the lacuna left by declining parties. Wish them good luck.