It
is like gauging the mood.
Number
of seats the BJP won in the Lok Sabha polls, sweeping the states like Uttar
Pradesh and Bihar, had this remarkable aspect
of the voting pattern.
The
Hindus voted across the caste lines, something defying the
caste-riddled tenets of the Indian politics – and it was not because of the BJP
but it was because of the Narendra Modi appeal and it was because of the dreams
the Narendra Modi appeal sold to the Indian masses reeling under the bad
governance of the 10 years Congress rule.
And
caste is the most resilient reality of Indian politics.
Yes,
the voter who gave the Bhartiya Janata Party led National Democratic Alliance a
comfortable access to the power corridors sidelining the caste and sectarian
considerations had this in mind that there was no panacea, a magic wand to
usher in the era of good governance in a swift move. Most of them were well
aware of. They voted because they trusted the Narendra Modi’s words. They
trusted because he has performed. They trusted because he is incorrigible personally
and they believed he would be on the job from the day one to deliver the
promises.
No
one can say in three months only that the government has failed, yes but the
voters need to see the signs that the government is on the jobs from the day
one. They need to see the indicators emerging on how the government is working
to bring the change. They need this incentive.
If
the voter doesn’t get the incentive for voting the BJP and Narendra Modi in away
from the themes of caste and class - in this case the path to realize the
dreams sold, at least the indicators that the efforts are afoot to bring the
‘Achhe Din’ (the better days) - a little coaxing would be enough to push him
back to the traditional lines of voting – on caste, the major element, and on
other ‘in the race’ elements like candidates and local issues, and not on the
charisma of the prime minister of India.
It
was that that happened this time, in these bye-elections and is bound to happen
in the coming elections – until the Union Government shows the signs.
Until
the Narendra Modi led government creates the indicators to reassure the
people who voted his government in the power that it is on the job fully to
deliver the promises made – promises that have the potential to touch the lives
of Indians across the states – the states where the BJP needs to grow in
numbers, and it needs allies for that, to be able to change the Indian politics
for good, the change that Narendra Modi has been talking about.