New face, same game
[ad_1]
BJP moves in Haryana again showcased its ability to quickly manage trouble. Will it pay off in polls?
In a day marked by fast moving developments, BJP in Haryana dumped its erstwhile coalition partner and changed its CM about seven months before the assembly’s term is scheduled to end. BJP state government appears safe. Instead, its erstwhile coalition partner, JJP, is staring at a split. It’s yet another example of BJP’s unsentimental approach, and its political hunger. Traits that keep it in pole, and poll, position.
Different strokes, different elections | BJP emerged the dominant party in Haryana in 2014. However, voting patterns between LS and assembly elections were distinct in 2019. In LS, BJP swept the state with about 58% vote share. In assembly elections a few months later, its vote share dropped almost 22 percentage points, and BJP fell short of a majority. Hence the troubled coalition with JJP. Since in LS, the Modi factor changes equations, BJP appeared reluctant to part with any of the 10 seats it won.
Jat factor | Jats are politically the state’s most significant group. The most striking aspect of BJP’s social engineering in Haryana is its influence over all non-Jat groups. Neither the sacked CM Khattar, nor new CM Saini, is Jat. Neither has the BJP shown much sympathy to farmers’ demands, which resonate among Jats. Crafting a new winning social combination has been a standout feature of BJP in states it has come to dominate.
Impact on LS | By moving Khattar out without disturbing the underlying social coalition, BJP may have offset some of the unhappiness against the state government. But there’s more to it. BJP’s Hisar MP Brijendra Singh resigned from the party this week and joined Congress. BJP to Congress is arare switch in the Hindi belt. He cited reasons: farmers’ protests, sexual harassment issues facing women wrestlers, and disgruntlement with Agniveer scheme. This is being interpreted as a sign that Haryana’s Jat community is unhappy. It remains to be seen how this plays out in LS elections.
Big picture | Both BJP and Congress have been confronted by rocky state governments. But the big difference is that the former is able to replace state leaders without a government imploding. And these mass culls don’t seem to impact BJP’s subsequent electoral performance. Haryana saw the first part play out yesterday. We’ll have to see if the script plays out in elections.
This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
END OF ARTICLE
[ad_2]
Source link