BJP, in particular Modi-Shah duo, must be terribly disappointed at the turn of events in Delhi. Only the other day, a roaring Modi had said, “Jo desh ka mood hai wohi Delhi ka mood hai”. He has been proved wrong. “Aap ko mujh per bharosa hai?”, Modi had asked people of Delhi at a BJP rally, believing they would believe him as the whole nation had only a couple of months ago. The people of Delhi have given him the answer; it is a big NO. It is the same people who had blessed the BJP with all 7 Parliamentary seats just a few moths ago. What a fall!
The Lok Sabha polls last year witnessed a total loss of faith in the ruling UPA, particularly the Congress Party. The Delhi elections are a rejection of BJP. People of Delhi realized that the BJP government led by Narendra Modi had done nothing for the nation in the last 8 months of governance to be trusted to do any good to them. With he Congress Party already rejected by them, the only choice they had was the Aam Aadmi Party. They chose to give Kejriwal benefit of doubt for his abdication of authority in his earlier 49 days tenure and graciously gave him another opportunity to prove himself. And this time, they ensured he did not have to depend on other political parties to have his way.
However, let the AAP understand very clearly that people expect them to deliver, not just make promises. If the AAP comes up to the expectations of people of Delhi, they will have made a place for themselves nationally. AAP has a great opportunity to fill the void created by the discredited Congress party. However, they must not be in a hurry to do so. Let them work to fulfill their promises made to people of Delhi and consolidate their position there. If they fail in Delhi, they will have no place in politics for ever. They are small enough to be devoured.
The Congress party, if it ever thinks of regaining some strength, has to make sure it reaches out to common people, as it had done during the freedom struggle , listen to people’s problems, and struggle against the governments in the streets, if they do not have enough strength in the legislatures, to secure social and economic justice common people. It is through reaching out to common people that the Congress party can hope to regain its lost ground. If AAP fails, the Congress party will be the natural choice against the BJP.
One hopes, the BJP by now will have learnt a few lessons. One, rhetoric alone does not help. Two, Indians do not accept the divisive and communal politics f BJP brand. People, in Delhi elections, have voted for peace, development and brotherhood. They have voted for united Indians in a secular India.