LDF under CM Pinarayi Vijayan has shown how responsive governance, efficient delivery of welfare, and strong personality-centric leadership can be smart politics even for Communists. Vijayan’s focus on Covid after winning proves how his instincts are right. That Congress couldn’t reclaim even Kerala underlines how disastrously its footprint is shrinking.
Stalin’s real test will be fixing Tamil Nadu’s fiscal deficit and making it freebie-mukt
DMK’s victory in Tamil Nadu is no surprise. After all, a third term for the AIADMK without Jayalalitha wasn’t probable, after the colourless, patchy governance of EPS and OPS. But Stalin’s real test is fixing the fiscal deficit and turning one of India’s most developed states into a freebie-mukt one.
Loss of confidence in India’s ability is clear. Can’t airbrush it for image-building on Twitter
When friendly foreign missions begin stockpiling oxygen and medicines, it’s a disturbing loss of confidence in our ability to handle the Covid crisis. Battle for India’s esteem won’t be decided on Twitter. We need to get our act together instead. Airbrushing may make an image better, but it can’t alter reality.
In Assam, BJP’s lead proves the state was hungry for infrastructure
BJP’s leads in Assam, despite its CAA push, establish two things. Its massive infrastructure push in the state deprived of basics for decades has found resonance among voters. And, that politics of ethnic identity in Assam has now been subsumed by religion. It also shows BJP got its alliances right.
Bengal most significant defeat of Modi era. BJP’s divisive agenda can’t conquer all of India
There are 3 key pointers from West Bengal. One, it’s BJP’s most significant election defeat in the Modi era. Two, a divisive communal agenda can’t conquer large parts of India for BJP. Three, the almighty personality cult of Narendra Modi may rule Hindi heartland, Gujarat, but doesn’t impress other regions.