BJP's rise in Indian politics: From 2 to 282 members of parliament (MPs) in 30 years

The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) performance in the recent Lok Sabha election and its growth has been truly exceptional. More shocking is the fact that Congress has been reduced to less than 50 seats.

If you recall, in the 1984-85 elections, that were held soon after Indira Gandhi's assassination, Rajiv Gandhi, who was riding on the sympathy wave, had got a huge mandate. Congress had 426 members, while BJP had just 2 in the eighth Lok Sabha.

Who were these 2 BJP MPs who had won in the 1984 election? Dr AK Patel had won from Mehsana in Gujarat. The second BJP MP who had won during the Rajiv Gandhi wave was Chandupatla Janga Reddy, who had won from Hanamkonda in Andhra Pradesh.

Even Atal Bihari Vajpayee had lost in the election. In the parliament, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) was the main opposition to Congress. NTR's party had 30 members followed by CPI (M) that had 23, AIADMK (12), Independents (9), Akali Dal (7), AGP (7), CPI (6), Congress S (5), Lok Dal (4), Unattached (4).

The BJP was much behind, along with Kerala Cngress, DMK, Muslim League and the nominated, who were two each. But within a few years, Rajiv Gandhi's popularity saw a decline. The BJP began mobilising people in the name of Hindutva.

In the name of Hindutva

As Ayodhya movement gathered steam, Rajiv Gandhi took such steps that proved costly to the party. Either it was 'shilanyas' or the Shah Bano issue, both hurt the Congress in the long run. 'Mr Clean' VP Singh raised 'Bofors' issue successfully and BJP strength went up from 2 to 86.

The National Front-led by VP Singh came to power but ultimately the Ram Janmabhumi-Babri Masjid issue led to the fall of the government. Despite the communal frenzy, the BJP could not manage to form the government. Its reach was limited to North India then.

Steady rise in the nineties

Another reason was that Congress was still a sort of 'default party' to vote for, in most parts of the country. After that, the BJP improved its tally. But despite Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the helm, it could never cross 200. It hovered between 121 and 189.

Even in the beginning of 2013, the BJP appeared to be a divided house. But then Narendra Modi was chosen to lead the party and steadily the campaign picked up steam in later months. The result was astonishing as the party could a majority on its own.

This was only the second time when a non-Congress government managed to form government on its own. In 1977, after emergency, it was during the anti-Indira wave, that the Janata Party (JP) had managed to win over 300 seats. But even then, the Congress was a strong force with more than 150 seats in Lok Sabha.

Right-wing becomes the mainstream in India

Even before BJP's rise, there were right-wing parties but they were fringe players. Either it was Jan Sangh, the Ram Rajya Parishad or the Hindu Mahasabha, none of these political parties managed to capture the popular support.

Indian voter had other alternatives. It was only in the fourth and fifth Lok Sabha that Jana Sangh seemed to be emerging as a bigger group. Else, these parties remained on the margins of Indian polity. However, the Congress' failure led to the growth of BJP in the last three decades.

The Watershed 

But 2014 proved to be watershed, as decisive victory to BJP is another thing and the decimation of Congress is another aspect.

The party's dismal performance shows how Congress has failed to put forth its ideology and hasn't been able to connect with youths who seem to have less appeal in Congress' vision and are drifting towards the right-wing.

If it was just an exceptional election, then it's ok. But Congress can't afford to be complacent. No big state in India remains with the Congress, either in North or in the South.Is the BJP becoming the default party for a majority of Indians, especially, the youngsters! Congressmen have to draw lessons from this defeat. Will they?

READ POSTS

1. Muslims' disenchantment with Congress: "I am not a Congress supporter but glad at its loss"
2. Congress' failure to highlight UPA government's 'achievements'

Congress leaders' failure in highlighting UPA government's 'achievements' and the party's poor campaign strategy vis-a-vis BJP's publicity blitz

(C) Indscribe

A couple of days back, Congress leader, Anand Sharma, was attacking the BJP, and asking how the the party could get so much funds to run the high-pitched campaign for Narendra Modi?

I was amused at Sharma's 'innocence'. Shouldn't Congress being the ruling party for the last decade, be knowing the source of BJP's funding? What was the government doing? Don't the intelligence agencies work under it?

Yes, BJP's election campaign and its strategy is far ahead of Congress. In fact, the backroom boys of BJP have done a tremendous job, in creating the 'wave'. Newspapers, electronic media, internet, all are abuzz with BJP's publicity.

But who stopped Congress from planning its campaign? Narendra Modi addressed more election rallies across India. His chopper kept flying everywhere--even in North East and Southern states, where BJP didn't have much presence.

From addressing 3D rallies to 'Chai pe Charcha', he has been in the news all the time. A Hindi newspaper, Dainik Bhaskar, published a report on its front page, comparing the resources thrown into Rahul Gandhi's campaign and Modi's campaign.

Ten years as ruling party,  yet UPA can't manage funds!

While Rs 10,000 crore has been spent in Modi's publicity, the figure for Rs 500 crore for improving Rahul Gandhi's image. The difference is quite clear. [Who says, we are a poor country?]. Leaving the virtues of socialism behind, now let's come straight to the topic.

When BJP, being out of power at the Centre, for ten years, could manage to much funds, why couldn't Congress plan, coordinate and run a more visible campaign for the Lok Sabha election? Except one or two catchy lines, used recently, and some advertisements, Congress' campaign was pale most of the time.

It tells a great deal about UPA leadership's failure that while they were in power, and were quite strong till last year, when everyone thought BJP had little chance to win election [till RSS okayed Modi's arrival on scene], but the businessmen openly sided with Modi and the BJP, without apprehending that this tilt may upset Congress.

Congress leaders' lacklustre speeches, poor publicity, failed campaign management

Clearly, Congress' calculations failed. There was something seriously wrong with them, that today the party's candidates are often heart talk about lack of funds to fight election. There is lack of enthusiasm among candidates.

I am not at all a Modi fan but his speeches evoked interest. In sharp contrast, Rahul Gandhi's speeches lacked the conviction.

Often, it seems, his heart is not into, what he is doing. Even the language is strange, too much cosmetic.

Addressing rural Indias, his speech writers, use such tough words that aren't used in villages, at all.

Hence, there was no impact. Addressing a public meeting, he was speaking about Modi, and talked about 'Advani' and 'Adani', but he fumbled and the crowd sat blank-faced.

Party couldn't even highlight own 'achievements'

Let's forget all. The question is why Congress couldn't even highlight the achievements. In the first term, it came up with NREGS (MNREGS, now), and Right to Information Act (RTI).

Similarly, Right to Education (RTE), is an important step, or for that matter, the Food Security Act.
For example, if the Congress has done something for the tribals, their right over land, or for those below poverty line (BPL), then it should have spoken about it, loudly, again and again, and sent the message.

But it hasn't learnt much in the age of mass media. [Bureaucrats retire and go to BJP, then targeting UPA. Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's former media adviser Sanjaya Baru goes on to write a book about his indecisiveness.]

The situation has come to such a stage that in several states, BJP's powerful CMs have often taken credit for UPA's schemes, especially, in health sector, and managed to give impression that these were state-run schemes.


Interestingly, the Congress leaders now complain that the BJP leaders hijacked Centre's schemes.

It is really a joke. Shouldn't Congress have taken credit for their schemes?

Who stopped them? Or you thought you are the 'default ruling party', and there was no need to tom tom your 'achievements'.

Whether they had any achievements or not, BJP has surely given impression that it is running states effectively in Gujarat, MP and Chhattisgarh. It takes credit for a lot, it didn't do, but it does. Congress couldn't do that either.

Where are Congress leaders?

In this era, Congress leaders continue to neglect the social media. While Narendra Modi's twitter handle was getting thousands of followers everyday, there was nothing in the name of Rahul Gandhi.

So if someone wants to interact with him or send him a message or make a suggestion, he can't do that. It is not about whether the person's suggestion is accepted, but it is about the satisfaction of having driven home a point. But there is nothing of that sorts.

The Twitter campaign of Congress got active only recently. Still, Rahul Gandhi has no official handle on Twitter yet. Why? Can't he get a 'competent team' to tweet on his behalf, when even AAP leaders can do much better.

No Connect: Why senior leaders like Kamal Nath never speak on TV, face questions, reply?

Yet another aspect is how UPA ministers are not ever seen replying to BJP's allegations. If ever you see a Congress leader speak, he is plain dismissive about the BJP or avoids talking about the issue, like Kapil Sibal or Salman Khurshid. There is no strong and logical replies to counter BJP's charges.

While BJP leaders are quite articulate [also aggressive], the senior most Congress leaders like Kamal Nath, are never heard on TV.

What's the use of their experience if they can't say something in layman's language and can't connect to the people? When did you hear Ahmad Patel speak? [and still, so powerful]

Or for that matter, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Madhav Rao Scindia and Ghulam Nabi Azad. What to talk about Antony, Tharoor, Jaipal Reddy, Oscar Fernandes? On studio and stages, the voice and the verve matters.

The body language, conviction and speech, go a long way, in setting off the momentum. This is not about results of election. Despite running a high-voltage campaign, BJP may not be able to form government, but Congress won't do good either. But is it ready to learn from its failures? That's the question. 

Assembly Elections in Madhya Pradesh: Will BJP win again or Congress make a comeback after a decade?

The Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] has completed two terms as ruling party in Madhya Pradesh.

With Assembly elections round the corner, there are speculations whether the party would win the state election for the third time in succession or will the electorate choose Congress a decade.

Till a few months back, the feeling in Madhya Pradesh, was that Congress didn't have much chance. It was commonly said that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's image would help the party win the election with ease.

But with leaders now crisscrossing the state and political parties conducting their own in-house surveys, it has  dawned upon the BJP that the situation is quite different. In urban centres, it was believed that Congress doesn't have a face in the State.

However, now it seems that the Congress is not only in the race, but it may be tough for the BJP to retain the power. The ruling party's ministers who were ensconced in their comfortable bungalows, had to again take the dusty routes in rural MP, when they felt that the polls are due soon.

Then, they found that the BJP is not too comfortably placed. Except CM's image of a humble man, they don't have much to speak for in terms of achievement.

While poor electricity is major issue in rural parts, other schemes haven't been implemented efficiently. Investment and jobs were promised but not much happened on the ground.

The party has now realised it, although its quite late. Worse, there is strong resentment against the MLAs and the Ministers. For this, the BJP needs to change a lot of candidates, which is also difficult. The reason is that legislators when denied the ticket, play spoilsport for the party.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan

The Congress was a divided house till recently. But with Ajay Singh [late Arjun Singh's son], Kantilal Bhuria, Kamal Nath and Digvijay Singh, putting up a joint front, and Jyotiraditya Scindia being pitted as as CM candidate, the party workers seem more confident.

Scindia does have an influence in Gwalior-Chambal region. The stampede at the Ratangarh temple has also been used by the opposition to fuel public anger against the BJP.

For the BJP, it has CM's image and his pet-schemes like 'Ladli Laxmi', which especially target women voters.

Definitely, there is huge corruption and recent scams have hit the party hard. To state BJP's credit, there have been few communal clashes. Chouhan has lot of goodwill among electorate but will he be able to counter two terms of incumbency? That's the question.

MP is a state where the third force has little presence. Once, Phool Singh Baraiya, had turned the BSP into a major force here. But Mayawati's strange decision to expel him, hit the party here. The SP has no strong base here except in areas bordering UP.

The Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) looks resurgent. But it has presence only the tribal dominated seats. Madhya Pradesh is among the states with the largest tribal population in the country. It also has a sizable Dalit populace.

Besides, the state has nearly 45-50% OBCs. But unlike UP, the politics is not caste-oriented. Chouhan, who belongs to Kirar, an OBC caste, has acceptability among almost all sections. The reason is his moderate image, which he has cultivated with effort.

Jyotiraditya Scindia

An alumnus of the historic Hamidia College in Bhopal, he has also kept promises like construction of Haj House. In Ladli Laxmi scheme, 'nikaah's are also held at state expense, just like Hindu couple's marriages.

Besides, in Senior Citizens' pilgrimage scheme also, Muslims have been included and the elderly sent free of cost, to Ajmer on a regular basis, just like Hindus are going to famous shrines across the country.

It is not that BJP here is totally secularised. In fact, RSS agenda keeps coming to fore time and again. Still, the party has kept the lumpen elements at bay.

In 2003, BJP had won with a landslide majority. There was visible public anger among citizens as Congress government had failed to even repair the roads in the State.

The roads in MP had become a joke nationwide under Digvijay Singh's regime. Uma Bharti was the first chief minister after BJP formed the government. But after a  Hubli court warrant, Babulal Gaur became the CM for a short term.

Since then, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been at the helm. In 2008 election, the party won under his leadership here. Now if the BJP wins for the third time, it will also increase his stature in the BJP, as well as strengthening his kind of 'inclusive politics'.

As elections are drawing nearer, it's clear that we are all going to witness a close contest in MP.