BJP’s Development has met its limit?
Dr. Manzoor Ali
There is no disagreement that Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has pioneered in making development as an issue in general and has strengthened it as a dominant political imagination among voters. Development agenda has influenced, like never before, political preference of voters from across the sections in 2014 general election. But, now it is facing its limit and stand with additional negative characteristics.
BJP has made to believe its supporters, who in return argues, that it is the only party which ask vote on development unlike others who believed in appeasing either minority (read Muslims) or various castes. But, it must be understood that prior to the rhetoric of development, especially as political plank, it has been an ongoing process.
In pre-reform period, there was state-led development with mixed economy.
The general feature of that economy was that few sections were benefitting with large number of population under Below Poverty Line (BPL).
1991 reforms gave break to the hitherto state led development and placed market as driving force for ‘vikas’. And, even that was a brainchild of Congress party and not the BJP.
However, Congress, unsure about the voters’ reaction to the reform, was hesitant in milking it for political gain.
The answer must be in the social support base of the party.
The difference that BJP brought to its electoral strategy was to propagates development aggressively. Who can forget about “India Shining” and “BIPASA” (Bijli, Pani, Sadak)? Gujarat and its “economic performance” was projected as role model for India. The propaganda of Gujarat model hold the imagination of poverty stricken “citizen” in developing states.
This could be one possible explanation of Dalits and Minority voting for BJP.
But, the initial advantage cannot be maintained forever as opposition parties, national and regional, are
Now, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Samajwadi Party (SP), Trinamool Congress all have alternative model of development.
The common feature of alternate development models is “inclusiveness” or “human face”.
In fact, during Bihar legislative assembly election in 2015, when BJP was reminding voters of Lalu’s “jungle raj”, RJD countered it by promising fight for economic justice, next step of social justice.
Nitish Kumar and Mamata Banerjee alleged that Gujarat model is not inclusive. It is discriminatory, thus against the poor.
In 2014, people have voted BJP to bring change in the economy, which became static during second phase of UPA.
The vote was to fulfill the aspirations that germinated due to the BJP campaign while being in opposition. The vote was decisively in favour of BJP, although they got 31 percent of total vote. However, a smaller section is beneficiary of market-led development is a carried forward feature of pre-reform period. T
here are other features which makes BJP’s model dangerous for the larger group of citizens.
After achieving political majority, Rashtriya Swamsewak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliated Hindu-Right wing organizations, like in past, immediately started working on project “Hindurashtra”.
The project is not merely the political unification of “Hindus”. Hindurashtra’s necessary features are marginalization and annihilation of all those who do not conform to their ideas of complete hegemony in social, cultural and economics arena. The primary targets are Dalits and Muslims. But, the list may also include Communists, Tribals, NGOs, and Atheists.
The communist who talks about validity of an idea or action through scientific temperament and rationality could be killed like Dhabolkar and Pansare.
The tribal are branded as Maoist if they oppose development projects which take away their resources.
NGOs and civil society have been gagged for raising human rights, environmental and economic concerns.
At last, it can be argued that within two and half year of its rule, BJP’s development has been exposed, containing almost nothing for poor.
The jobless growth in industry and agriculture mostly depend on “Indra” (rain god), have broken the development image. It will certainly have impact on electoral prospect of BJP in the coming election. Perhaps, BJP and government have already realized this. The use of surgical strike against Pakistan to avenge Uri attack, Ram Mandir and Modi’s “jai shri Ram” in poll bound Uttar Pradesh symbolizes that mere development slogan cannot win election.
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