There is a sense of disappointment within Madhya Pradesh’s business community about the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government. But Modi needn’t worry.
Bhopal/Gwalior: In the ascent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India’s politics, nationally or otherwise, the constant support of the country’s business community has been a crucial and stable factor. It has, in some ways, been the spine of the party, cracks in which the BJP can ill-afford.
In an election as challenging as the one BJP is facing in Madhya Pradesh, the absolute support of this community is vital for the party, particularly given a strong anti-incumbency concern.
However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s policy decisions — like demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which caused severe discomfort to businesses — as well as fatigue with the 15-year-old state government, have left the business community in Madhya Pradesh divided.
As the Shivraj Singh Chouhan regime seeks a fourth straight term on 28 November, the question is if the sense of disappointment within the community is strong enough to cause actual and significant damage.
The paradox, though, is that several of those unhappy with Chouhan and BJP in Madhya Pradesh, mainly due to the Modi government’s policies, are not upset with Modi himself.
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‘Vyapaari ko badlaav chahiye’
A desire to see a regime change, from BJP to Congress, isn’t one you would associate with businesses. And yet, the sentiment is real.
“Vyapaari ko badlaav chahiye (The businessmen want change). We have always supported the BJP, but now we need some change,” says Soman Das Belani, who runs a wholesale sari business in Bhopal’s largest cloth wholesale market Bairagarh.
“Petrol prices have gone up. Businessmen are suffering a lot because of demonetisation and GST, so we definitely don’t want BJP in the state this time,” adds Belani.
Akash Keswani, who also has a wholesale cloth business in Bairagarh, wants a Congress government.
“We supported BJP last time, but this time Congress should come to power. The business community is in shambles. GST is so complex, everyday they make new changes to hurt us,” he says.
The narrow, noisy bylanes of the famous Sarafa market in Bhopal couches similar voter sentiments. Businessman Ashish Jain, for instance, claims the Chouhan government’s “corruption” has added to their demonetisation and GST woes.
In Gwalior as well, badlaav — one of the more popular words in this election — is finding echo among smaller businesses.
“GST and demonetisation have really hurt us. We can never know how the Congress government will be, but we can at least give it a shot,” says Neeraj Jain, who owns a handloom wholesale business in Naya Baazar.
However, it most certainly isn’t as if the BJP has completely lost its grip over the community, with several who still want to see it in power in the state.
‘Chouhan has worked for us’
Rajiv Upadhyay, who runs a footwear retail business in Bhopal’s crowded New Market, bats for another term for Chouhan.
“We want Shivraj Chouhan to come to power again, he has worked for us. GST is good for the country in the long run so we should stop cribbing,” he says.
“This election feels very tight, but it looks like the BJP will get more seats. The opposition is also trying very hard but we want the BJP to win,” says Rahul Gupta, a businessman in Sarafa Chowk.
“We support Shivraj Singh, his Ladli Laxmi Yojna has been very beneficial for women and he has done some great work. Moreover, the negative effects of demonetisation and GST are gradually decreasing, things are getting back to normal.”
Pramod Gabra, a third-generation businessman in Gwalior’s Maharaj Bada, blames those who “have something to hide” for being angry with the BJP, which he says, is “trying to do something good for the country”.
Some others, meanwhile, say voting for the BJP is like a “habit”.
“We want BJP to win. From the very beginning, we have voted for them,” says Chandraprakash, who runs a wholesale cloth business in Bairagarh.
“Ab aadat hogayi hai BJP ko vote dene ki. Nahi choot sakti (It’s now a habit to vote for the BJP, which we cannot change),” he adds.
No alternative?
There may not be a blanket fatigue with the BJP among businesspersons and small traders in Madhya Pradesh, but this is little solace for a party which is used to their unflinching and, in a broader sense, absolute support.
The party has managed to keep this vote base intact even in the most difficult of times and situations.
Surat, for instance — Gujarat’s business hub which saw a vociferous anti-GST agitation —continued to support the BJP in the assembly elections last year, soon after the rollout of the tax. The BJP won 15 of the 16 assembly seats in Surat. While these businesses were upset with the BJP, they said they had no option but to support it as there was no credible alternative.
This lack of a substitute is a refrain heard in Madhya Pradesh as well, with many not willing to repose faith in the Congress.
“Demonetisation hasn’t affected us much, but GST has. My business has come down by almost 30 per cent,” says Ashish Jariwala, owner of Jariwala Jewellers and Crafts in Bhopal’s Sarafa Chowk. His family has been in the business since 1869.
“The industry is suffering and yes, we are upset with BJP. But even when we want to look for change, there is no alternative available. The opposition is really weak,” says Jariwala.
“The BJP has to come back in Madhya Pradesh whether or not we want it to,” he adds.
Hemant Tiwari of Gwalior’s Maharaj Bada feels even “NOTA (None of the Above option) is better than Congress”.
However, the irony that runs deep — and one that can soothe the party to an extent — is that several of those from the business community opposing the BJP in Madhya Pradesh still back Modi.
Also Read: BJP & Congress don’t want to field Muslims in Madhya Pradesh. Muslims say they understand
‘Modi is doing good work’
Neeraj Jain and some of his neighbouring wholesale shop owners complain about demonetisation and GST. But as soon as the topic shifts to Modi and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, their tone changes entirely.
“Modiji should get another chance. He is working in the interest of the nation,” says Neeraj, with complete support from those around him.
Trilok Aswani, a textile businessman in Bairagarh, wants a Congress government, but only in the state.
“Here, Congress should get a chance. But PM Modi is doing good work at the Centre, he should become PM again in 2019,” he says.
The voters among the business community in Madhya Pradesh are a divided house about the Chouhan-led BJP state government, mainly due to the Centre’s policies. Yet, they find Modi appealing enough.
Could this mean that prime minister’s economic policies have harmed the BJP’s regional leaders while leaving him relatively unscathed? The answer to this may lie not in the results of the ongoing assembly polls, but the critical 2019 Lok Sabha elections verdict.
PEOPLE ARE SATISFIED WITH BJP GOVT IN STATES AS THERE IS LESS INTERVENTION BY TAXATION DEPT.IN CONGRESS REGIME CORRUPTION WAS RAMPANT AS THE OFFICERS HAVE TO PAY MONTHLY RANSOM MONEY TO MINISTERS AND THEY EXTORT MONEY FROM TRADERS IN MONTH BASIS.NOW IN BJP REGIME NO TAXATION STAFFS INSPECTORS CTO ACTO JCCT DCCT ACCT GOES TO ANY TRADERS.ARE NOT THEY GT RELIEF FROM PAYING BRIBES.IF STILL THEY WANTS CONGRESS THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY MONTHLY BRIBE TO SAME OFFICERS WHO WERE COLLECTING HAFTA FROM THEM .I DONT THINK SHEKHAR GUPTA THE BANA PROMOTER OF THE WEB NEWS PORTAL WILL AGREES.HE HAS BUSINESS OF BLACKMAIL EXTORTION FORM MINISTERS.
Near perfection. Though I wonder, every one talking loud and clear, where gone ‘Silent Voter’? One more thing,
“Ab aadat hogayi hai BJP ko vote dene ki. Nahi choot sakti (It’s now a habit to vote for the BJP, which we cannot change),” he adds…
please correct the word from above line. I think there is a typo error occured.
Best
Shekhar Deshmukh Mumbai
The BJP ‘s new found love for the poor is yet to be validated by the EVMs. However, it has traditionally been a party supported by small traders and businessmen. All over the country, they are entitled to ask what and how much good it has done for them. Their disappointment is not limited to demonetisation and GST, for that matter. If good times are on their way, ordinary businessmen are the first set of people who should be smiling.
What about the opinions of people who take freebies subsidies reservation loan waivers from ‘socialist’ BJP