Analysis | BJP’s challenges are both organisational and existential

BJP’s failure to breach fortress Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal drawing clean in Kerala was solely offset by its return to energy in safe numbers in Assam and victory of the NDA in Puducherry. Challenges for the BJP are nevertheless both organizational and existential.

Who shall be CM in Assam?

In Assam for instance, the BJP’s victory has thrown up the fascinating conundrum of simply who ought to be the brand new chief minister of the State — sitting Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal or Health and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who’s the BJP’s energy home within the North East holding its alliances in a number of States collectively, and who managed to steer the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests away from politically harming the BJP within the state. Senior get together leaders have been saying that the get together’s parliamentary board shall be taking a view on the matter, which means {that a} query mark is hanging on the difficulty.

West Bengal classes

In West Bengal, it has develop into clear that the constituency that rose to offer BJP 18 seats within the 2019 General Elections has considerably shifted again to the Trinamool Congress, a consolidation of ladies and minority votes additionally appears to have helped Mamata Banerjee. As BJP common secretary answerable for West Bengal Kailash Vijaywargiya mentioned, “it seems Bengal wants Mamata Banerjee as Chief Minister.” He additionally added that the concern of contracting COVID-19 could have stored BJP voters at house.

Watch | 2021 Assembly elections outcomes evaluation — with Amit Baruah, Nistula Hebbar and Sandeep Phukan

In the foremost causes for its failure to win, BJP leaders level out that the dearth of an area face as a chief ministerial candidate damage them, however extra importantly an over dependence on TMC flip coats for both organizational heft and as candidates didn’t go down effectively with the voters. Many of the excessive profile flip coats together with former ministers within the Mamata Banerjee authorities misplaced polls.

Existential Issue

The huge problem nevertheless, is extra deep, and that has to do with the big second wave of COVID19 that’s battering India. The BJP which at all times sought the “party of governance” badge for itself is now floundering on that rating. BJP has at all times identified that the previous Congress slogan towards the Jan Sangh (BJP’s earlier avatar) of “shaasan karna koi khel nahin, Jan Sangh ke diyon most important tel nahin (governance shouldn’t be a sport, these lamps of Jan Sangh haven’t any oil – lamp being the Jan Sangh image), not utilized to them as governments led by the get together have been elected again for a number of phrases both in states and on the Centre. And whereas the jury continues to be out whether or not the second wave of COVID-19 and the lengthy drawn out polling schedule had a bearing on the TMC victory and the BJP’s loss, subsequent yr’s electoral calendar is looming massive. Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, two states that are being battered by COVID19 and a well being and governance infrastructure that’s tottering and failing are scheduled to go to polls subsequent yr. Both are states which have sitting BJP governments, and the get together’s personal fortresses shall be underneath siege. While the BJP has develop into a celebration of meticulous electoral planning and execution, the efficiency of its governments in these two states shall be underneath the scanner, as of that of the Central authorities.

Join us at 7:00 p.m. on The Puucho’s YouTube channel to debate the outcomes of the 2021 Assembly Elections dwell.

The Puucho’s Resident Editor in Delhi Amit Baruah, Political Editor Nistula Hebbar and Deputy Editor Sandeep Phukan will take us by way of the election outcomes and talk about what to anticipate subsequent.