India’s current government is led by the Bharatiya Janta Party or the BJP. It is also the country’s largest national party. It was formed in 1980, though its origins lie in the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which was founded in 1951. The Jana Sangh was closely associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist organization that continues to play a significant role in shaping the BJP’s ideology.
The party first came to power at the center in 1996, but its government lasted only 13 days. It returned to power in 1998, forming a coalition under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Prime Minister. His tenure saw India conducting nuclear tests in 1998, economic reforms, and a focus on infrastructure development. However, the BJP lost power in 2004 to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
The BJP made a historic comeback in 2014 by securing 282 seats out of 543 in the Lok Sabha, with Narendra Modi as India’s prime minister. Major policy changes include the revocation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019, and the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 that criminalized triple talaq in India.
The government’s handling of several protests and crises has faced widespread scrutiny. The 2020–2021 farmer protests, which were sparked by the controversial farm laws that were later repealed, drew significant public attention, with criticism directed at the use of force and the management of the situation. Similarly, the government’s response to the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests raised concerns over its handling of dissent, particularly the use of force. The BJP’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic also attracted criticism, especially regarding the lack of transparency around the death toll, shortages of medical resources like oxygen cylinders, and inadequate preparedness during the second wave.
Additionally, the ongoing inter-tribe conflict in Manipur, which erupted in 2023, has faced criticism for the government’s perceived failure to take adequate action, with accusations of poor crisis management and insufficient intervention in addressing the escalating violence.
Prof PK Sharma,Freelance Journalist,Barnala (Punjab)
Ironically, duo of PM Modi and BJP Supremo Amit Shah find themselves now really on a slippery wicket in the run up to the Marathon- 2019 !
It is fine on their part to strive in the field to explore every avenue to brave all the odds to be on the victory stand in the Grand
Final of 2019 !
Unlike 2014, the moves and strategies of rival parties and competitors in the fray have started surprising and outsmarting the
invincible duo of Modi-Shah so far as learning from their past blemishes and follies are concerned ! Uttar Pradesh bypolls and
post Karnataka Assembly Poll developments are the fine examples in this regard.
Very amazingly, BJP winning 282 Lok Sabha seats on its own in 2014 and boasting of development on all fronts has to woo its
old allies and look for new ones is quite mind- boggling.In addition to old ones, new ones should have implored the BJP to join
its fold after having been impressed and attracted towards the “Acche Din Aayenge” party !
Paradoxically,the duo appears very panicky and jolted in wake of BJP By Polls reverses in nation and slipping between the cup
and the lip episide of power in Karnataka.
Both are now awfully busy to leave no stone unturned to repeat 2014 but 2019 would not be 2014 .For this, duo is itself to blame
none else ! Their failures on various fronts will prove to be a stumbling block this time in attracting and wooing masses.In 2014
people pinned their hopes on NaMo for a change for the best falling in his trap of ploys,rhetorics and tall fallacious promises.
The unexpected success in polls then turned their heads that they started living in the fools’ paradise that there is no parallel or
alternative to Modi, hence the birth of an ambition to rule India for decades altogether !
How will allies old and new for that matter counter masses’ questions and defend heap of failures of NaMo led Union Govt.?
A few failures for example !
First of all, demonetisation- more than one hundred innocent people lost their lives in queues, were they fighting battle against
insurgency or trans border terrorism ? Countless gentle citizens were very unduly subjected to untold hardships and miseries,
how much of the black money was unearthed in the bargain ?
The ill- conceived and ill-planned GST issue is still in the domain of confusion and uncertainty ! There are still wavering thoughts
on various GST slabs . The decision was not well thought of to start with and then it was implemented without proper home work !
In Jammu and Kashmir for almost more than three years BJP enjoyed power in PDP-BJP Combine Jammu Kashmir Government !
Without any rhyme or reason, BJP abruptly pulled the plug on very flimsy and lame premises eyeing win in 2019 Lok Sabha Polls !
What to talk of economy, foreign policy, farmers distress, poverty, unemployment, communalism, affordable quality education and
affordable health care system ?
The problem with NaMo thinking is that he wishes to win elections and elections endlessly taking things for granted but without bothering to perform and deliver the goods with a spirit if devotion and dedication !
Prof PK Sharma,Freelance Journalist
Pom Anm Nest,Barnala (Punjab)
A little difficult now to identify local factors that could cause a swing in favour of the BJP. Or small subregional groupings that could be very helpful. 2014 ki baat aur thi. 2019 will turn on the state of the economy.