09-25-2006, 11:33 AM
<b>Dear Agnivayu,
I wish that your assumption was correct. Unfortunately, the BJP today is no longer the disciplined force that it used to be a decade ago. Perhaps being in power for six years at the Centre has made it to fall in line with other political parties of the country. The taste of office and power that came with the formation of the Government eroded the teachings of the RSS and also diluted the ideology. Many of the Leaders and their principle deputies got the taste of five star lives and in the process got involved in many worldly pleasures.
With the advent of economic prosperity, particularly in the Urban areas of the country, with the coming up of the beauty parlors, discos, credit card, live in relationship, higher divorce rate, the moral value and the sense of ethics of the younger generation of the Urban population has undergone a vast change since the General Elections of 1967.The reflection of the same culture has creped into the nationalist political system. Therefore, the nationalist politician of date is not sure that he will have the captive vote of the urban middle class. In fact, many in this class do not even care to go to the polling stations but sit down before the TV to see how the scene is unfolding.
Another aspect which we should not loose sight of in the changing characteristics of contemporary Indian politics is the emergence of the regional parties. In the years to come, they are likely to play an important role in any political dispensation which can form a majority in Parliament and rule the country. It is much easy to dislodge a national political party from Power in a State or to reduce its strength. However, the same is not the case with Regional parties who function on a rather limited agenda aimed at exploiting and addressing the regional problems, which have a much more relevance to the voters of that particular region.
Since there is no consolidation of the nationalist political forces (basically by this terminology one means Hindu political forces), all the political parties will try to keep the minority vote with them. Once the elections are announced, each political formation will try to compete with each other in promising the haven to the members of the minority community in general and to the Muslim voters in particular. In the process whichever political formation is voted to power tries to increase the privileges and facilities for the members of the minority community, often at the detriment of the majority community. This is a political necessity and every political entity for its very survival has to do such things in India.
Another point raised by you is in relation to the rural voters. At present, they are more influenced by the regional leaders rather than by the election manifesto of the National Parties. With regard to rural development program, they are progressing all over the country but as always with varying degree of success. Many of these programs are decade old and now at the stage of completion. Therefore, it is unlikely that the rural population will overwhelmingly vote against the present Government. Another very crucial factor will be how disorganized the BJP will be on the eve of the next general election and with whom the major regional parties like the DMK, Telegu Desum ,Assam Gano Parishad etc will line up. By all indications the RJD,SP and the Muslim League will either remain with the Congress or may set up another front, which may by default improve the chances of BJP.</b>
I wish that your assumption was correct. Unfortunately, the BJP today is no longer the disciplined force that it used to be a decade ago. Perhaps being in power for six years at the Centre has made it to fall in line with other political parties of the country. The taste of office and power that came with the formation of the Government eroded the teachings of the RSS and also diluted the ideology. Many of the Leaders and their principle deputies got the taste of five star lives and in the process got involved in many worldly pleasures.
With the advent of economic prosperity, particularly in the Urban areas of the country, with the coming up of the beauty parlors, discos, credit card, live in relationship, higher divorce rate, the moral value and the sense of ethics of the younger generation of the Urban population has undergone a vast change since the General Elections of 1967.The reflection of the same culture has creped into the nationalist political system. Therefore, the nationalist politician of date is not sure that he will have the captive vote of the urban middle class. In fact, many in this class do not even care to go to the polling stations but sit down before the TV to see how the scene is unfolding.
Another aspect which we should not loose sight of in the changing characteristics of contemporary Indian politics is the emergence of the regional parties. In the years to come, they are likely to play an important role in any political dispensation which can form a majority in Parliament and rule the country. It is much easy to dislodge a national political party from Power in a State or to reduce its strength. However, the same is not the case with Regional parties who function on a rather limited agenda aimed at exploiting and addressing the regional problems, which have a much more relevance to the voters of that particular region.
Since there is no consolidation of the nationalist political forces (basically by this terminology one means Hindu political forces), all the political parties will try to keep the minority vote with them. Once the elections are announced, each political formation will try to compete with each other in promising the haven to the members of the minority community in general and to the Muslim voters in particular. In the process whichever political formation is voted to power tries to increase the privileges and facilities for the members of the minority community, often at the detriment of the majority community. This is a political necessity and every political entity for its very survival has to do such things in India.
Another point raised by you is in relation to the rural voters. At present, they are more influenced by the regional leaders rather than by the election manifesto of the National Parties. With regard to rural development program, they are progressing all over the country but as always with varying degree of success. Many of these programs are decade old and now at the stage of completion. Therefore, it is unlikely that the rural population will overwhelmingly vote against the present Government. Another very crucial factor will be how disorganized the BJP will be on the eve of the next general election and with whom the major regional parties like the DMK, Telegu Desum ,Assam Gano Parishad etc will line up. By all indications the RJD,SP and the Muslim League will either remain with the Congress or may set up another front, which may by default improve the chances of BJP.</b>