How India will suffer due to Bihar defeat
The mood is upbeat in the anti-Modi camp as Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has done an Arvind Kejriwal on the prime minister by trouncing the BJP-led NDA in the state Assembly elections. It is being said that the politics over cow and beef has failed to impress the Bihar voters. The act of writers, artists, scientists and film personalities over the issue of alleged "rising intolerance" is also being justified.
Conversely, it can also be argued that the Bihar elections have once again proved that caste and Muslim votebank politics played a decisive role in the highly regressive politics of the state. RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's "Mandal Raj - Part 2" has taken precedence over developmental politics as his party has bagged the maximum number of seats (80). The JD(U) came second with 71 seats and the BJP followed with 53 seats. Both Nitish and Narendra Modi were generally focusing on development and governance as their election plank.
The Bihar elections will resonate at the national level too. It will certainly have some positive impact as it will have a sobering effect not only on Modi but also other BJP leaders. They are likely to forsake the divisive agenda. However, the nation will also suffer because of the decimation of the BJP and these are the five reasons for it:
1. Parliament disruption
The country is likely to witness more disruption of Parliament's proceedings. The monsoon session of Parliament was washed out under protests from the Congress over issues of corruption involving Union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Vasundhara Raje and Shivraj Singh Chouhan respectively. The Congress will feel that its strategy of stalling Parliament over allegations against BJP functionaries has worked wonders. Emboldened by the election result in Bihar, the Opposition, particularly the Congress - which has won 27 seats in the state as against just four in the 2010 Assembly elections - is likely to step up the ruckus to disrupt Parliament proceedings. The forthcoming winter session will be its first casualty.
2. Reform measures to be hit
The Opposition has already started showing non-cooperation to the government's development initiatives like passage of the Land Acquisition Bill. Under fierce protest from the Opposition, the government will fail to introduce other reform measures like passage of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill. This will only hamper the growth of the nation.
3. Dent in Modi's foreign policy initiatives
Buoyed by the victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha election and unprecedented performance in subsequent Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Jharkhand, Modi had launched an aggressive foreign policy initiative. He was given a grand welcome in all the countries he visited. But the two severe and consecutive jolts the BJP suffered in Delhi and Bihar will surely dent Modi's image abroad. He may not get the same rousing welcome from the Indian diaspora and his foreign counterparts as he had been getting so far. Modi may not be in the same strong position to convince the foreign countries to provide aid and assistance to India.
4. Confrontation with non-BJP ruled states
So far, only Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had been challenging Modi over local issues like grant of full statehood to the national capital territory or handing over control of police to the state government. Following a convincing win, Nitish will also be in a position to confront the prime minister over issues like according special category status to Bihar and sanctioning more funds for the development of the state. Kejriwal and Nitish together will also lead the non-BJP ruled states to take on the prime minister and the Centre. So, the coming days will witness more confrontation rather than cooperation between the Centre and the non-BJP ruled states.
5. 'Jungle Raj - Part 2' in Bihar
Nitish as chief minister of Bihar will not be a strong one. He will owe his post to Lalu whose party has bagged the maximum number of seats. The JD(U) was a bigger alliance partner in the NDA but now it will be a junior partner getting the chief minister's post. Nitish carries the image of a man who is focused on development, but Lalu is just his opposite: he is a convict in the fodder scam, he and his RJD are known for presiding over the worst law and order situation in the state ever. He is known for his regressive Yadav and Muslim votebank politics besides promoting dynasty with his wife Rabri Devi, daughter Misa Bharti and sons Tej Pratap and Tejaswi following his footsteps by plunging into politics. Known to be assertive, Lalu will shove his regressive agendas in the mahagathbandhan government. Bihar will witness attempts by Lalu's supporters to repeat "Jungle Raj - Part 1" by indulging in kidnappings for ransom, murders, rapes, looting, migration of youth and students in search of better education and employment, and flight of businessmen from the state. more
Conversely, it can also be argued that the Bihar elections have once again proved that caste and Muslim votebank politics played a decisive role in the highly regressive politics of the state. RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's "Mandal Raj - Part 2" has taken precedence over developmental politics as his party has bagged the maximum number of seats (80). The JD(U) came second with 71 seats and the BJP followed with 53 seats. Both Nitish and Narendra Modi were generally focusing on development and governance as their election plank.
The Bihar elections will resonate at the national level too. It will certainly have some positive impact as it will have a sobering effect not only on Modi but also other BJP leaders. They are likely to forsake the divisive agenda. However, the nation will also suffer because of the decimation of the BJP and these are the five reasons for it:
1. Parliament disruption
The country is likely to witness more disruption of Parliament's proceedings. The monsoon session of Parliament was washed out under protests from the Congress over issues of corruption involving Union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Vasundhara Raje and Shivraj Singh Chouhan respectively. The Congress will feel that its strategy of stalling Parliament over allegations against BJP functionaries has worked wonders. Emboldened by the election result in Bihar, the Opposition, particularly the Congress - which has won 27 seats in the state as against just four in the 2010 Assembly elections - is likely to step up the ruckus to disrupt Parliament proceedings. The forthcoming winter session will be its first casualty.
2. Reform measures to be hit
The Opposition has already started showing non-cooperation to the government's development initiatives like passage of the Land Acquisition Bill. Under fierce protest from the Opposition, the government will fail to introduce other reform measures like passage of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill. This will only hamper the growth of the nation.
3. Dent in Modi's foreign policy initiatives
Buoyed by the victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha election and unprecedented performance in subsequent Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Jharkhand, Modi had launched an aggressive foreign policy initiative. He was given a grand welcome in all the countries he visited. But the two severe and consecutive jolts the BJP suffered in Delhi and Bihar will surely dent Modi's image abroad. He may not get the same rousing welcome from the Indian diaspora and his foreign counterparts as he had been getting so far. Modi may not be in the same strong position to convince the foreign countries to provide aid and assistance to India.
4. Confrontation with non-BJP ruled states
So far, only Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had been challenging Modi over local issues like grant of full statehood to the national capital territory or handing over control of police to the state government. Following a convincing win, Nitish will also be in a position to confront the prime minister over issues like according special category status to Bihar and sanctioning more funds for the development of the state. Kejriwal and Nitish together will also lead the non-BJP ruled states to take on the prime minister and the Centre. So, the coming days will witness more confrontation rather than cooperation between the Centre and the non-BJP ruled states.
5. 'Jungle Raj - Part 2' in Bihar
Nitish as chief minister of Bihar will not be a strong one. He will owe his post to Lalu whose party has bagged the maximum number of seats. The JD(U) was a bigger alliance partner in the NDA but now it will be a junior partner getting the chief minister's post. Nitish carries the image of a man who is focused on development, but Lalu is just his opposite: he is a convict in the fodder scam, he and his RJD are known for presiding over the worst law and order situation in the state ever. He is known for his regressive Yadav and Muslim votebank politics besides promoting dynasty with his wife Rabri Devi, daughter Misa Bharti and sons Tej Pratap and Tejaswi following his footsteps by plunging into politics. Known to be assertive, Lalu will shove his regressive agendas in the mahagathbandhan government. Bihar will witness attempts by Lalu's supporters to repeat "Jungle Raj - Part 1" by indulging in kidnappings for ransom, murders, rapes, looting, migration of youth and students in search of better education and employment, and flight of businessmen from the state. more
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Muslims vote en-masse while caste-divided Hindus, anjan to ajaan, vote for immediate gains like money & drinks more
Nov 11
As far as stalling the Lok Sabha, has every one forgotten the same tactics were used by the BJP when the Congress was in power? They are now reaping that bitter fruit. I still believe in Modi as a force for change and revival. But he will lose credibility if he does not discipline his cadres. more
Nov 10
Of course, the opposition will now make life more difficult for the Govt. to push the agenda of national development. If the parliament still stalled due to political reasons which appears to be their sole aim, the Govt. must clarify their view points on the controversial issues and go by refrendum in the interest of the nation / people, otherwise, the lost time can never be reversed, already one and a half year is gone by. The people will forget the reasons of non-cooperation but reprimand the party in power for not doing enough, as promised, in spite of having good intent and purpose. It is time for brain storming and find ways n means to move ahead. People are expecting a lot from PM and this Govt. which include the industrialists and other fraternity in the waiting. Good governance and work will speak itself. more
Nov 10
It appears ludicrous when someone says that BJP is implementing divisive agenda. Shri Modi right from his first day is trying to make Ek Bharat Sreshtha Bharat. The conclusion of Bihar results is that the Muslims of Bihar have won. It has just informed us that people of Bihar are going to celebrate Diwali for all these 5 years.Crime rates will keep on increasing. And last but not the least ,whole country will move forward and Bihar will continue to lag behind. more
Nov 10
Mr Rajesh Suri BJP was no less patriotic in obstructing each and every bill during Congress regime that they are fondly pursuing during their own tenure.Old Congress wine in new BJP bottle with stickers. As such till date the NDA Govt in the centre has been a disastrous failure in all fronts like inflation of essential commodities ,containing Corruption in day to day life,transparency has been given a goodbye, and corruption is at its highest .But where is the remedy like a strong Lokpal Bill? If you think people will vote for BJP for their arrogance,incompetence, non-performance and being in competition with past Congress regime, to cross all perceptible levels of their 60 years of alleged Corruption, in 5 years time,in fooling the people in matters that they seldom care for ,then they will only repeat their failures again and again.Wake up man,be sensitive and do not think only because the people are poor they are fools.Anybody buying Dal with 200 rupees a kilo will never vote for BJP,may you beg it at the top of your voice. more
Nov 09
